[Viva] Not sure if any of you feel like this

[James and Ally Keating]

Denise,
    Truly enjoyed reading your story. It does my heart good to hear that you have walked through through fire of your self and are coming out the other side stronger, more aware of "you". I too spent many years immersed in the world of HIV and my disease, I let it re-define who I was. I think it was what I needed to do to get through that time in my life. My activist actions got me out of bed with my head held up and let me look people in the eye again....but more important it let me look myself in the eye again. But...I too came to a place where I had an epiphany, so to speak. I began to live a life that was not defined by my disease. I actually began to look to a future, a real future and not just next month or year. I am so very grateful that I was able to focus on overcoming my illness, advocating for others with HIV and educating society back then...it gave me my life back...but....I'm even more grateful that I was able to take me back from the HIV. HIV has become an illness I have, no longer how I define myself. The changes began about 10 or 11 years ago and they are still underway. I am always learning who I am and what I want. One thing I now know for certain is that although the HIV is here in my body, in the big scheme of my life....it doesn't matter. My life has gone on past HIV. For this I am grateful. It's good to see you walking your own learning path. All the best and much affection, Ally
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Denise Becker 
  To: viva 
  Sent: Monday, August 15, 2011 9:53 AM
  Subject: [Viva] Not sure if any of you feel like this


  but this is what I have recently discovered about myself.


  Denise
  http://positivelite.com/content/blog/contributors/ms-crimson-lips/item/how-i-became-miss-crimson-lips


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