Uncategorized

dec 1st… happy yet sad

My Previous Life by radiant.baby.
[source]

December 1st always hits me strangely. It’s the first day of a happy month, but then I see someone wearing a red ribbon and I remember its other value: World AIDS Day.

I still remember the first time I watched, “And the Band Played On” and how incredibly angry my tears were. Then I read the book, and got even more upset. During my LA days, I got to turn that anger into help, volunteering with Project Angel Food at the kitchen and at their events. And, while I’m happy to see the progress being made against the disease across the world, it’s still such a horrifying reality to know that people are ignorant of this evil disease’s power.

So instead of getting angry and sad, I think of the humanity that is trying to solve this problem at every turn. The doctors, humanitarians, researchers, politicians, and everyday people fighting each and every day. And I only pray that AIDS was a scary part of my childhood, and that tomorrow’s children will not have that word in their vocabulary.

One Comment

  • violarulz

    I remember going to see the AIDS Quilts on the National Mall as a kid… they were EVERYWHERE and it was sad, but not sad. It was like a funeral, thoughtful and celebretory at the same time.

    Each of those big 2×2 squares in that pic. is made of 32 quilts, each the size of the top of a twin sized bed. When the AIDS Quilt started only filled the main part of the Mall, now, it doesn’t even fit on the entire Mall. It travels in sections large enough to cover a football stadium’s green.

    Wow.