You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover [ + ]

Let’s GET real.  The “I didn’t know” excuse doesn’t work anymore. 

If you will allow yourself to go deeper than the cliche statements that you’ve heard in the past… “you can’t judge a book by its cover” or “don’t make judgements based only on appearance” OR “hit it and quit it” (wait that last one has nothing to do with this post but it came up in my mind), you can see the simple message and clarity in knowing two things:

1) if you look at me today and didn’t know me or get a stellar kick out of reading my two-day-old blog — YOU WOULDN’T KNOW I am HIV positive — so don’t treat me any differently. I’m not dirty or clean, healthy or unhealthy because my status now has the vertical line AND the horizontal line (-) (|) = [ + ]  AND

2) now really realizing this fact– how will you reACT? Because you do have a choice.  You have a choice of either letting info about this chronic-disease affect you OR infect you. WHOA! I’m PREACHING y’all. Where is that offering plate!??!

You see, in December 2011… I got caught. You know what I mean– I had had unprotected sex before the last time. NOT every time. But before.

I heard the information. But I never allowed the information, warnings, and life-work of talented HIV educators in our community  to AFFECT my decisions. Thus, it did INFECT me.  Now, I’m [ + ].

But now, what decision will you make?   It’s all about prevention. And the tools are yours for the taking.

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Thank you all for following this blog and the comments. You have no idea how much this has made me smile. You all are great. And I love you, all. (Or in Nashville… ALL Y’ALL)! I’m here if you need me.

I’m still Josh! You still be YOU!

xo

-Josh