Strength in Numbers 2011!

Welcome 2011! we've been waiting for you! Especially those of us living with HIV/AIDS. For us and anyone living with a chronic illness, everyday is a battle. First you wake up in the morning, you take a deep breath and open  your eyes, and stretch and you realize you made it to another day. There may be pain, there may be sorrow, and there will most certainly be fear, but there will also be joy, laughter, happiness and love.

Sometimes it's very hard getting through the holidays living with a chronic illness, HIV/AIDS is not alone in that fact . I belong to a social group called strength in numbers, SiN for short. It is a health and wellness social group through Yahoo groups. It was founded on the idea of sero sorting. Basically that means that we date within our own community of HIV-positive people ensuring that we are not spreading the disease, even by accident. It has turned into a huge social network of fun and support for those of us living with HIV/AIDS. I receive daily e-mails from the group about functions, support groups, yoga classes and other fun events. For instance every year our group plans a trip to the Disney gay dayz and twice a year there is a group of us that get together to go on a cruise. While not specifically an HIV-positive cruise, nevertheless it is a group of like-minded men and women who are generally together to support and nurture each other.

Sometimes along the way you're lucky and you meet someone you fall in love with. It happened to me in the most unlikely person I could think of. Unfortunately while we love each other very much were not good together and this New Year's Eve, while I couldn't be with him, I raised a glass to him thanking him for reminding me what love was.

Yesterday, New Year's Eve 2010, I got an e-mail that was very down and sad from somebody within my SiN group. While I love to write and I'm finding it a great talent that I have, I still am uncomfortable being in the public eye. I don't usually respond to group emails, but I couldn't stand by and say nothing while this person was obviously hurting. There may be others out there feeling the same way. So I sent an e-mail to the entire strength in numbers group in New York City. Here is what I said:

"Hi Everyone,

I see a lot of people lately that seem to really be down about the holidays.....I know this can be a really tough time for a lot of us. Me...I feel a bit down sometimes too, and this New Years I cant be with the one I love....

BUT.....WE woke up this morning! WE get to see the dawning of a new year!

WE are alive.....so even though there seems to be a lot of emotional turmoil over the time, (feeling it myself included) I prefer to focus on the fact that WE have all survived another year and that means WE will all be there for each other in the coming year.

So to all of you.....my brothers in SiN

HAPPY NEW YEAR.......lets make it great together"

So no matter what illness you're dealing with, just know that you're not alone. And when those days of depression creep up on you, and they will, remember you got to wake up today!

For more information on Strength in Numbers please visit your local SIN website....they are listed all over the world as SIN<city name> ie: SINNYC, and here is a website for the organization.

http://www.strengthinnumbers.org/

So WELCOME 2011! We greet you full on, chest held high, ready to see what you hold!

By for now.....

Red