Knowing is half the battle...

If you had to put a price on your life what would it be worth.  Is there a value that you would give every breath?  How much would you put on a smile or a laugh.  How would you quantify each step, each thought, each moment.

Have you come up with a price? If you have, I will tell you that it is not enough. Your life is priceless. 

Last week as part of an annual physical I had a total work up to include testing for HIV/AIDS.  Today all the results came in.  I wonder how many people know that, according to the Center for Disease Control, the leading cause of death for black women aged 25–34 years old is HIV.  What will it take for us to do something different?  I know for certain that if I do not love and respect me there is no mandate for others to do the same. And that includes respecting my body, my soul and my virtue.  Whether you be gay, straight or undecided for that matter, one thing is certain--Sex is not worth your life.

I know all day we are bombarded with images of breasts, bikini lines and/or six packs and triceps and biceps.  Songs promote promiscuity and Lord knows if I hear another male rapper wishing that he could F*#k every girl in the world or declaring that he wants "Becky" or a female rapper reminding me that she can use her "cooda cat" to get anything she desires I may literally lose the last nerve that I have been threatening people with for years (example - you are getting on my "last nerve). But that is still no excuse, is 3 dollars for a box of condoms too much of an investment into your future? Is that one second that it will take to request that the person you are about to share yourself with "strap it up" too long?

We have to be proactive and not reactive. The result of my HIV test was negative, but according to the statistics there is a women somewhere in this country who did not get the same news...Know the facts-Know your partner-Know your limits and please Know your Status.