I've seen two movies lately that I highly recommend.
1. For Colored Girls
2. Love and Other Drugs

For Colored Girls: Based on the novel/play "For Colored Girls who have ever considered suicide." It's amazing, painful, harsh, poetic, lovely, raw, beautiful and empowering. Be ready to have tissues, and no matter what "color" we all are -as women, as humans, we've all been through pain and loss and heartache and we can all relate. (Plus every woman involved in this ensemble cast deserves an Oscar!)

Love and other drugs: Anne Hathaway is amazing! If anyone has chronic pain, or chronic illness (like me) then most likely they can relate to Maggie - who pushes away love, and has convinced herself she doesn't need anyone...because it's much easier to push you away then for you to leave me in the midst of my weakest moment, when I need you the most...that abandonment, being left without anyone to care for you - in the midst of pain, the loss of control, the unpredictable nature of chronic pain, etc...being left alone in it - well, the only way you can survive is to press through and learn not to depend on anyone....not to let anyone "in." Then comes along Jamie...and he has never loved anyone more than himself and he hasn't believed in himself and she shows him who he really is, and who he has the potential to be. He needs her just as much as she needs him. He wants to care for her, and she wants to love and care for him.

Both of these movies brought up a lot of "stuff" for me. I've been through major trauma, I've survived major abuse, I've lived through horrid injustices, I've been dealt a bad hand - but truly, haven't we all. The tricky part is letting someone love you "in it" - truly love you.

I am learning.