Dark Madonna on the Big Screen

"Our age has a violent face; we feel the need of somebody like [Precious] Ramotswe who offers forgiveness rather than confrontation and recrimination. Such people are there; we need only give them the space to breathe, the chance to talk to us."

It was refreshing to read the Scottish author, Alexander McCall Smith's intention in creating the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series (see BBC's "A Few Words from Alexander McCall Smith"). Smith's story is about a woman from Botswana who loves her self, her life, her people. She is full figured, smart, industrious and incidentally, her name is Precious. She could be the African sister-cousin to mystery writer/community activist Barbara Neely's character Blanche White.

But getting back to AMS, I think that Jung's archetypal Dark Madonna has been talking to the chap and that he's symbolically amplifying her whispered voice for others to hear and be comforted by. How good it is when artists use their super-powers (smile) to awaken hope, possibility and laughter.

And of course, I can't wait to see Jill Scott, Idris Elba, Anika Noni Rose and the colors of the Continent come alive in the recently-made film!