I was diagnosed HIV+ 18 years ago when I was 22 years old. It was my first act of making love with a man and I was very naive and young. It was 1987. I was living in Newport Beach, California. I have been blessed with relatively good health and medications have kept me going all of these years. I have had numerous opportunistic infections and of course the one that almost killed me this year. I survived and I am a very fortunate man.
Today, I will remember those who have gone before me.
Today, I will rejoice that I am still alive and healthy,
Today, I will reflect on my life and where I go from here,
Today, I will participate in my own health recovery,
Today, I will express gratitude to all of those who have helped to keep me alive,
Today, I will help someone else who is living with HIV/AIDS,
Today, I will love myself, I will love life and I will love those in my life.
Please take some time today to reflect on what this epidemic has done.
Shawn
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Shawn writes a column for HIV Stops with Me.org called "Positive Encounters." He has been a dear friend for nearly ten years. I love you Shawn.
To read Shawn's articles and adventures:
www.hivstopswithme.org
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