Sapphire - Push

The paperback is small and quick to read.  I picked it quite by chance from my book shelf as I looked for something easy to read.

 

It is a book that explores a difficult and harrowing subject - incest and abuse not just for Precious - but a number of other girls who have been abused by different people.  I was hard pressed to find something to laugh about as I turned the pages.

 

I remember telling my mother that one of the good things about life is to find a support group. There are support groups for everything (tall people, short people, black people, thin people, fat people, breast cancer survivors, spouses, battered women etc). The important thing is to get the support group that suits your needs best and run with it. If there isn't one, start one.  Precious says that when she heard the stories of her friends, she realised that her story was not the worst.  have never come across a support group for incest survivors.

 

At the start of the book is a quote from the Talmud "Every blade of grass has its Angel that bends over and whispers, 'Grow, grow' "  My best character in this book is Blue Rain who teaches the young adult girls plagued by illiteracy due to various reasons - in this case incest and allied issues. I presuppose that she is the Angel as are most teachers who are so amazing. I have often wondered why teachers in the public system in my country are not given a good return for their labour. To teach and teach effectively one must have a calling. In my life, the people who made an impact in my life were the teachers who believed in me. I can remember my class teacher Mr Ok, Mrs Wa, Mr Mu and others who were ever so patient with me and made life at BGHS manageable.

 

The depiction of mothers in the book is rather surprising. Mothers who have failed in their duty towards their offspring. Due to my own understanding of what a mother is and what motherhood entails, I find it difficult to relate to the mothers in the book who in different ways  abused ( or aided and abetted the abuse of) their children.  

 

Stamina and determination are topical issues. They are those who fall by the way side by there are also those who push on no matter the hand that has been dealt with.  So when all is said and done, it is important to stand with our back against the wind and our head towards the sunrise in order to stand tall against all odds.  This is embedded in the title. When you are tired..when you cannot go on, their is only one option PUSH.