How can something so negative be called Positive?



"Every time we express a reaction of a sort we give ourselves away"
~ Frank Lloyd Wright, in an interview with Mike Wallace, 1957



There's a saying... and I'm not a religious type, but this one I believe holds true... "God never gives us more than we can handle." And even though I believe it, I still wake up some mornings and think "What a pile of bullshit!"... and yet I keep returning to that belief.

I frequently wonder just how much God thinks I can handle, yet I always seem to find the necessary reserves of energy and emotion each time that question is answered with yet another burden.








Everybody takes the news somewhat differently. There's no right or wrong way to take it. How you react will be in character with who you are. Don't beat yourself up over it.

There are also many levels of reaction, from denial to depression, anger to acceptance. How fast or slow you go through them depends on you. As with other forms of grief, there is no timetable you must adhere to. And there are undoubtedly extranneous circumstances that are not going to be easy. You will get through them.

Here are some thoughts you should file in the back of your head. They are good weapons against depression and unnecessary anxiety.
  • No matter what you have been taught, HIV and AIDS are not punishments from God (or the deity of your choice) for sinful behavior.
  • Having HIV does not mean you are a bad person or that you had to have been a bad person to get it.
  • Your life isn't over. You've just started a different chapter.


Some people will be afraid of getting too near to you or too friendly with you if they know you are HIV+Positive. This is not your problem. It is theirs. Try not to let someone else's fears steal quality from your life. You are the keeper of your power. Nobody can take that away from you if you deny them the ability.

Start spending more time doing the things that bring you peace and enjoyment and less time on things that stress you out. Stress puts a heavy burden on your immune system. Therefore, the more calm you bring into your life the better, while doing things you enjoy can actually strengthen your immune system.

In other words, LIVE!