christmas cards - nablopomo #2

Two things happening. First being inspired by my blogging friend Cairo TypO and her NaBloPoMo success, I have decided to go for it, a whole month of daily blogging. Hopefully it will be meaningful, insightful, and not too much of me for you. Secondly I have found a great journaling blog called Tuesday-Tell-All. I thought it would be great fun. It is also a way to get some topics that otherwise I might not think of, for posterity you know. So this is my second December post and my first Tuesday Tell All.



So the topic for this Tuesday is Christmas cards.

Last year I received two Christmas cards in the mail. One from my sister-in-law. The other was from my gynecologist. You know the one, with the stamped signature and the picture of the office staff wearing Santa hats. Of course this may be due to the fact that in eight years I haven't sent cards. I always meant well, in the days before I completely gave up. I would carefully pick my cards. I would make sure they said me. I would get out my address book and write messages. Then I would never mail them. To this day I have several boxes of cards, addressed and not, just hanging out taking up space.

Now I send email cards. Easier in many ways, but the irony of the situation is that I love mail. I love to open the mailbox and find a letter or a card. I imagine having a box on my mantel, full of the many Christmas cards sent to me by friends and family. I dream of having meaningful correspondence through the post. Who knows, maybe this year I will change my stripes, or not.

world aids day

She watched him in the rear view mirror. His eyes catching hers in the mirror smiled. She resented the fact she was on this trip. Resented the fact that she must take her son to say goodbye to someone he had never had the opportunity to know. Her mind wandered back to the day they had met. Cocky and self-assured, he marched right up to her and kissed her. They had a whirlwind romance marrying just four months later. She loved his fun-loving ways and his zest for life. Fresh from college, life was theirs for the taking.

Looking back now there were so many things she should have seen. She became pregnant. She guessed it was a lot of responsibility for a young couple just starting out, but she was happy. He worried about how they would make ends meet. He often came home late after having gone out with the guys. Just letting off some steam. He had always been one to enjoy a party and the company of a lively crowd. It became more and more frequent and the tensions at home seemed to mount. She moved out.

Now four years later she would take their son to visit him. His once strong and vibrant body emaciated. His thick curly hair falling out. Lesions on his skin. His body under attack. A life full of careless choices. His drinking had made way to other things. Money exchanged in dark passages for a few hours of escape. A series of women who were always willing to share in the fun. She wondered where they were now. She also felt the guilt of thinking she should have been there, maybe if she had stayed it would have been different. Looking at her son she was glad she hadn't.

hiv/aids is the topic for bloggers unite this month. i am sure i have not done it justice but i am glad to be able to join my voice with the many who today will address this topic. we have come a long way since the beginning of this terrible world epidemic. the number of people affected is astounding. many are children and youth. education is vital to help, our youth especially, make choices that will keep them safe.