Select Entry- Joyce Conner

Welcome to our Optimistic Essay category. Here you will find the $1,000 winning contest essay, 5 finalist essays and 15 honorable mention essays and a growing list of hand-picked select essays that readers submitted during our "Why Are You Optimistic About the Future?" contest.

HIV for ME

Every wise person knows that life is all about suffering and what we do with it. For me, this was one life lesson that took forever to learn. Instead. I was too busy moaning and groaning in a pit of pity to see my own God given power to change things...to be happy. Little did I know that life had just thrown me a blessing in disguise. God truly does work in strange and mysterious ways.

The average American Jane and Joe can't relax and enjoy life for chasing and scratching after the all mighty dollar. Don't get me wrong, I was born to shop. Keeping up with the Jones's is what drives us Americans, cause everyone knows, the one with the most toys wins !

HIV / AIDS has taught me so much more. Of course, learning to be poor, unable to work, was not new to me. I've always been sickly, and I came from the wrong side of the tracks. HIV gave me an awareness of, the passage of the winds of time. Taught me to care about what happens to those I love. To look hard for the beauty of each and every day. HIV taught me to take care of my body, by seeing my doctor. To take care of my mind by accepting help and compassion from those that care. And to take care of my soul by seeking solace and comfort from my higher power.

HIV showed me my own limitations, yet enabled me to LOVE LIFE. Though death awaits us all, years with HIV brought an end to the foolish pursuit for more-more-more. And uncovered the importance of the here and now. Most would not consider HIV a blessing, yet in my life....for me....it's been just that. Testing positive, is positive in a strange, wierd way.