My best lesson of the year...

What a year!! At the end of 2010, I knew that 2011 was going to bring me so much, but I had no idea that the lessons learned would require me to take such a brutal beating. UGH!! I met some great men this year who turned out to just not be good men for me. I ended some stale friendships that had expired years ago. I took some chances that didn't work in my favor, but I have no regrets. There were many mistakes that I made this year, but the bad decisions were made from a very weak and lonely place. REAL TALK!! Everything had to happen to bring me to this place of peace.

Exhale...

The holidays came this year out of no where and I found myself at one point wondering why I once again had no one to share it with. Immediately, I shook that ish off and reminded myself of the people that I do have that make everyday feel like Christmas. Then I thought of the knuckleheads who could have been around to just annoy me and I thanked God for His grace and mercy. See sometimes as intelligent as I am, I tolerate nonsense longer than I should. When this happens, my God who sees what I am unable to see on the surface (or what I pretend not to see), steps in and saves me. It's like when a small child wanders off into the street and a huge truck is coming...He comes in and swoops me up in His arms. I am so grateful that I am covered.

So as I embark on another new year, I got the best lesson this morning. I'm reading a book called, "The Weight of Silence," a mother speaking to her daughter told her this:

"People say that being a mother is the most important job you will ever have. And it is very important. But it is even more important, I believe, to be a wife, a good wife. I don't mean you have to be a floor mat. That's not what I mean at all. I mean, who you choose to walk with through life will be the most important decision that you will ever, ever make. You will have your children and you will love them because they are yours and because they will be wonderful. Just like you. But who you marry is a choice. The man you choose should make you happy, encourage you in following your dreams, big ones and little ones."

I hollered AMEN! on metro after reading that and the lady next to me smiled and said that must have been something good and I shared the passage with her. She said, "That's very good advice," and wished that she had chosen better. Then she would not be "stuck in the situation she is in now." I am so happy that I am FREE to make better choices and nothing that I have done before this moment has me "stuck in a situation."

FREE!! Dropping it low for my freedom...Whoop whoop!!!

Sweet P

HIV+ Boy Denied Admittance to School...That ish CRAY!!!

WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE: 13-year-old HIV+ denied admission to private school

When I heard about this story on the news, I thought that my ears were deceiving me. That in this day and time we are refusing education to people based on ignorance. I think that this is timely with yesterday being World AIDS Day. Just goes to show you how uninformed many people are about this disease. How can you deny this young man an education? He was born with this illness and if anything the students are more of a threat to him with their colds and chicken pox than he is to them. Will they be sharing needles or having unprotected sex in class?? This aggravates me...

I applaud this family for being open and informing the school of his diagnosis. Situations like this are why the stigma remains today and many people do not disclose their illness or don't get tested because they don't want to know. My question for the school administration is how many of your students are currently infected that you don't even know about??

Educate yourself people!

Today I pray for this young man. That he may not feel ashamed or isolated because of his illness. That he knows he has a wonderfully, blessed life ahead of him. That he uses this situation to gain strength to continue to do the great work he's already doing and prove to the world that regardless of his diagnosis, he can do anything he sets his mind to. AMEN...

Watch "Keep a Child Alive" on Showtime Tonight!!

“Keep a Child Alive” with Alicia Keys is the story of five Americans who win the chance to travel to South Africa with their favorite superstar, Alicia Keys as she visited “Keep a Child Alive,” funded sites in Johannesburg and Durban. In the heady atmosphere of the first World Cup on African soil, the five winners are overwhelmed by the sorrow they encounter and the incredible beauty of the people they meet. With Alicia as their guide, they are transported from lives of plenty to lives of interrupted. Watch their journey and try not to care. Click here for more information on the program and show times.

I will definitely be tuning in and will provide a blog on my perspective. The epidemic is disheartening in the US, but to see how the disease is basically seen as a death sentence in Africa is devastating. On the forum that I am watching now, one woman on the panel stated that many Africans do not want to even learn of their HIV status because there are no drugs or treatments available to them. Breaks my heart…Funny, some things that I've been concerned with this week seem so silly and trivial to me now. I’m sure some folks would love to have the problems I have. Just reminds me that in all things—BE GRATEFUL.

SN: This forum has AWESOME!! I am happy to see people discussing the issues and putting a plan of action into place. For too long it has been seen as a poor people's or gay person's disease....HIV/AIDS affects us all on so many levels. You do not have to know someone living with the illness or lose someone special to the disease for it to matter to you. If you care about anything outside of yourself, you will do something. Even if it is just wearing a ribbon or educating yourself or wearing a condom or donating to the cause or GETTING TESTED...play a part in helping to eradicate this world of this disease that I hate more than anything in the world.

Okay gotta go...my former Pres Bill Clinton is speaking now. That's my boo LOL!

Sweet P

Another reason I love President Obama...

I think that it's great that President Obama, former President Bill Clinton, former President George W. Bush and others will take part in a forum today on "The Beginning of the End of AIDS" at George Washington University. Others due to participate in the discussion include President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, Bono (U2 singer and ONE Campaign founder) and singer Alicia Keys.

The Associated Press says that Obama "is renewing the U.S. commitment to ending HIV and AIDS on Thursday, setting goals for getting more people access to life-saving AIDS drugs and boosting spending on treatment of the virus in the U.S. by $50 million dollars.” Obama will announce the new initiatives at this forum.

The ONE Campaign, which is a grassroots campaign of more than 2.5 million people committed to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable diseases, will be streaming the forum live at 10:00 a.m. EST. Please click here to view the live stream.

This disease continues to kill so many, but the good news is that many are living longer, healthier lives with the drugs. We just need to support causes that help to ensure that EVERYONE regardless of socio-economic status that access to proper health care and the drugs that will help prolong their lives. Not everyone is Magic Johnson. I am so happy that he has been able to live 20 years after his diagnosis, but not too many people are alive to say the same.

Sweet P

December 1, 2011: Leading with Science, Uniting for Action

World AIDS Day – December 1, 2011

What is World AIDS Day? World AIDS Day is held on 1 December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day and the first one was held in 1988.

Why is World AIDS Day important? More than 90,000 people are currently living with HIV globally an estimated 33.3 million people have HIV. More than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007 have died from the virus, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history.Today, many scientific advances have been made in HIV treatment, there are laws to protect people living with HIV and we understand so much more about the condition. But despite this, people do not know the facts about how to protect themselves and others from HIV, and stigma and discrimination remain a reality for many people living with HIV. World AIDS Day is important as it reminds the public and Government that HIV has not gone away – there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.

What should I do on World AIDS Day? World AIDS Day is an opportunity for you to learn the facts about HIV and put your knowledge into action. If you understand how HIV is transmitted, how it can be prevented, and the reality of living with HIV today - you can use this knowledge to take care of your own health and the health of others, and ensure you treat everyone living with HIV fairly, and with respect and understanding. Click here to find out the facts. You can also show your support for people living with HIV on World AIDS Day by wearing a red ribbon, the international symbol of HIV awareness. World AIDS Day is also a great opportunity to raise money and show your support for people living with HIV. If you feel inspired to hold an event, bake sale or simply sell red ribbons, click here to get started. If you'd like to see what other events are taking place — click here and find out more.

But what about after World AIDS Day? Although World AIDS Day is a great opportunity to get the public talking about HIV and fund raise, we need to remember the importance of raising awareness of HIV all year round. That's why National AIDS Trust (NAT) has launched HIVaware - a fun, interactive new website which provides all the information everyone should know about HIV. Why not use what you have learnt on World AIDS Day to Act Aware throughout the year and remember, you can fund raise at any time of year too — NAT is always here to give you suggestions and ideas.

*Information taken from http://www.worldaidsday.org/about-world-aids-day.php.


Also visit http://aids.gov/world-aids-day/ for more information on how you can join the fight against AIDS.