Looking Beyond HIV
A lot changed since I decided to tell everyone on Facebook about my status; my habits, my outlook on life. I value my relationships and myself. But I still make myself find the positive in difficult situations. I still make jokes, mainly about my own circumstances and experiences. I never thought my life would turn out like this, especially after my dearest friend died due to an AIDS-related illness. I told myself that I would stay negative no matter what. But life had other plans for me, at first someone I thought that being positive was a curse but I decided to take it as a blessing. I knew that God cannot put me in a situation without any kind of elevation. I have learned from life that sometimes the darkest times can bring us to the brightest places. Our most painful struggles can grant us the most necessary growth and that the most heartbreaking losses of friendship and love can make room for the most wonderful people. What seems like a curse at the moment can actually be a blessing, and that what seems like the end of the road is actually just the discovery that we are meant to travel down a different path. No matter how difficult things seem, there is always hope and no matter how powerless we feel or how horrible things seem, we can’t give up, we have to keep going even when it’s scary, even when all of our strength seems gone, we have to keep picking ourselves back up and moving forward, because whatever we’re battling in the moment, it will pass, and we will make it through. I am happy that I know my status and It is very empowering to come forward and say, I am not ashamed or embarrassed. This is who I am, no excuses or apologies. It’s still quite a challenge because most people find it hard to test, accept their status, disclose, start and adhere to medication. Being diagnosed with HIV has not hindered me in any way. It has made me set higher goals, and push harder to achieve them. Living with HIV is no longer about dealing with your condition but normalizing HIV in your life. It is about the quality of my life and planning for the future and making informed choices. It is about me taking every day as it comes and enjoying my life to the fullest. I cannot change the past, but I can determine that my past will not define my present, or dictate my future.