when i knew.

I remember very distinctly, the day our 4th grade health class, learned about it. We had just taken attendance and our teacher told us we wouldn’t be needing our health notebooks today, because what we were talking about wasn’t included in the chapter were to have read for the class. The topic of the day was too new to be included in our curriculum. that day, we were going to talk about HIV/AIDS. At the time, not very much was known about this topic…it was still very much in it’s vague stages, plagued by stereotypes that thank God, have been erased. I wasn’t too terribly worried walking out of class that day, as I had never received a blood transfusion, all my experiences with needles were at a doctor’s office, and I certainly wasn’t sexually active when I was in elementary school. But, I did feel like my eyes had been opened to something that day.

Ever since that day, I have been very very intrigued by this topic. 4th grade was before the time of Google or Wikipedia, so I had to rely on asking questions. And did I ever. I remember asking my mom questions when she picked me up from school and I remember asking my dad even more at dinner that night. (This also opened the door for some further discussion, as I learned the real definition of some other “topics” too, when we discussed ways to contract HIV). The excitement surrounding our health class discussion that day soon died down and I forgot about my curiosity, until one day, all the news stations were talking about Magic Johnson. Oh boy, did that almost make my head explode.

To make a very long story short, I have tried to learn and keep up with as much information as I can regarding the HIV/AIDS since that day in 4th grade health class. It has become easier as time has gone on, thanks to the Internet, TV and some of the stereotypes being removed. Of the course of the years, I have also known people who have died after hard battles with this disease. For me, HIV/AIDS is not something that just exists in the world. I want to know and understand and do something about it. I figured the more I knew, the more likely I would find my role in this fight against it.

I think the thing that has stuck with me the most over the years, and was repeated many times in a discussion I attended last night on the topic of HIV/AIDS, was that people don’t die from AIDS. They die from loneliness. (Yes, the physical cause of death is something as simple as a cold or something, because their immune system has completely shut down.) That while many of the stereotypes and stigmas have been lifted from this disease, some have not. The stigma that has been present since the start – that somehow a person living with HIV/AIDS is untouchable has led to more heartbreak than should be allowed. I read a story yesterday of a woman that just broke my heart. When her doctor gave her positive test results, he asked if she had a support system around her that would walk this road with her. She told the doctor, YES. My family is so supportive of me and my life. But, when she told her family members about her diagnosis, they stopped calling or visiting. When she was able to get a hold of them, they would find anything to talk about but her journey with HIV. With her positive test results came a very lonely life.

Everyone has their soapbox. For me, it is the crisis of AIDS, especially in Africa. For me, I cannot bear the thought that there are children the same age as my “nieces” and “nephews” that are faced with losing one or both of their parents to this pandemic. I just cannot do it. And, our fine city has a wonderful opportunity this week and next to learn more about what it looks like with the AIDS experience taking place at Cherry Hills. It is worth an hour of your life. I’m serious. I know that AIDS may not be your soapbox. Brad wrote a few weeks ago about learning more about human trafficking. That is an extremely worthwhile and important cause, and I respect that entirely. I guess, I would encourage you to find that soapbox and jump up on it and wave the flag for it.

Find that which is worth fighting for and do it, in whatever way looks right for you.