Random Musings from An Unapologetic Ambivert

Say What You Need To Say

The subject of these musings will ramble a bit, so please bear with me. I'm in my feels a little bit today, hope y'all don't mind if I share.

World AIDS Day comes and goes without notice for most, but for me - it's like a gut punch. I've lost people, you see... and of them, the most heartbreaking for me was a relative. We had become estranged. Not in a bad way, we just kind of drifted away from each other for a minute. When we reconnected, what I didn't know is that we didn't have much time left to rekindle our friendship. They had been handed a deadly diagnosis and all I could do was try to be comforting, and hold space without judgment, regret, or sadness.

Whenever I spent time with them, all I wanted was for them to feel cared for, and loved. Anything else was up to me to figure out on my own. Sometimes, we need to step away from how we navigate through our lives and be what someone dearly needs because dammit... it's just not always about us, is it? Crying, and raging against "The dying of the light" would have to be on my own time if at all.
There was more enough gossiping, negativity and shady back-channel chatter going on and I quite stubbornly refused to buy into it. I'm not going to humble brag about what was done for this beautiful, beloved soul because that would steal positive energy away from my intentions. This was an arrangement entered into privately, not for praise.
The only thing I will share is that the experience taught me many, many things about the nature of grace that I'm still learning.

If there's something you need to say to someone you care for... don't wait. Time is a funny old thing, and my goodness it gets away from us before we know it.

As ever — in my zeal to make sense of things, I decided to turn my angst into advocacy. For some reason, reaching out to lend my energy and passion clears my head and actually helps me process things. So, okay... the navel gazing is over. For now, anyway ... 😉 
But, I will leave you with some interesting graphics about World AIDS Day and HIV advocacy. This many years on, those who are tested and diagnosed early are living with longer, healthier lives if proper treatment is made available. Unfortunately, stigma still exists, and in some quarters may even be gaining a toehold again. Try as we might, some people will always prefer to remain in a perpetual state of ignorance.

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Here are a few  dates listed by month. December 1st is an important day for HIV/AIDS advocacy, but not the only day we can make our voices heard -

I mean yo... If you're into displaying how "woke" you are, and it's in your heart to do, please wear a Red Ribbon all month:

Also - For those who celebrate... ✨Happy Chanukah✨