As if on cue, it snowed all last night and the temperature dropped. It has been dark and dreary most of the day. The image below was a brief moment when the sun decided to make an appearance.
I cannot believe that it's already December. It seems like November disappeared in a blink. In just over a month, I'll be heading out to Tucson. I have so much to do before then, including teaching a class in Pittsburgh and... oh, yeah... the holidays. This will definitely be one busy month! I was fortunate enough to cross a lot of the things off my list yesterday, but I feel a little rough today. I can't pull all-nighters like I used to. It's easy to get caught up in the day to day affairs, to be swept up in the rush of life and obligation... but it's also important to take a moment to remember that we are apart of a bigger picture. Today is World AIDS Day. The spread of HIV/AIDS is still spreading at epidemic proportions. So take today to remember someone you've lost or call someone who has lost someone to this pandemic virus. With the recent numbers, chances are you know someone. Take a moment to learn a little more, get tested, or find out what you can do to help stop the spread of this disease and shed light on prevention and awareness.
4 comments:
Even though I have hardly been blogging lately (cannot sit for long periods of time). I always take a moment to read your posts. Thank you for telling me about the AIDS day. I have a living friend with AIDS and today is a great day to remind my friend of my love and friendship.
Thank you for the HIV/AIDS awareness day reminder!
My 24 y/o son and I drove back from FL on Monday and had a lot of quality time in the car. I said, "David, did you know that AIDS wasn't even diagnosed until the early 80's?" It's hard to believe that this disease has had such an impact on our lives. We have a friend that does a fund raiser biking event from Miami to Key West every year. As part-time residents of St. Pete, where there is such diversity(we have the largest Gay Pride Parade and are proud of it!), we've become more acutely aware of HIV/AIDS. In 1986, our doctor died from AIDS. He was a genius ... his loss was widely felt in our community. What a waste of a life ... Awareness is the place to start.
The sad thing is that even though there has been 20+ years of research and treatment, there are still a lot of misconceptions around.
I think that anyone who has had sex in the last 30 years should get tested. It's fast, easy, and in most places, FREE. It takes twenty minutes and they just put a swab in your mouth. One doesn't even have to give their name. There really is no excuse.
And it's not just confined to gay people and junkies.
I think that since there's been so many advancements in treatment, it sort of gets glossed over. Yet numbers of infection have risen in the last few years. It's important to be conscious, aware, and to practice safe sex and follow simple preventative measures.
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