The Power of Who I Am

The sense of power is acknowledging that I am HIV-positive and have not allowed others to penetrate, dismiss or change who I am as a person. My status doesn’t define me as a Black woman, just as my race doesn’t determine my destiny and where I am going. We are the pilot of our dreams and aspirations! I’ve allowed my work and how I treat others to speak for themselves. I am not a victim and not looking for pity from anyone. When you enable people to pity you, you are permitting people not to have respect for you, I genuinely stand firmly on these beliefs because I am a warrior and always searching for the next challenge in my life. As you can see, I don’t need to put any identifiers in front of my name to get acclaim; who I am speaks volumes.

There is no need to fit into the status quo or what is trending now. But what is trending is my HIV status, and it has not defined me as a person, nor has my race, sex, or other identifiers clouded my judgment when I am seizing the moment of accomplishments and victories. My legacy is monumental to me, and I am not in a race or competition with others. There is no league too big for me because I am focused, determined, disciplined, and willing to sacrifice to achieve what I need to accomplish on my own accord.

Yes, I am HIV positive, but it is not a crutch to say I am a victim. I can tell you I have lived life with beauty, tragedy, sadness, loss, and setbacks like everyone else, but what you do with those moments defines you as a person. It irritates me when I see someone not doing anything constructive and staying in the background playing the victim game.

It is imperative to take responsibility for my actions and not wait for outsiders to liberate me from my sufferings. Furthermore, if I lack self-confidence, self-esteem, or anything else, it’s no one’s job to lift my confidence or self-esteem. If so, I am acting as an active agent of a gaslighter, a selfish individual, because it is my job to get the much-needed help, like soul-searching or seeking therapy. So, with that said, I walk in my glory and do not need anyone’s compliments to satisfy my ego.

I leave you with something to contemplate, Who are you? or more accurately, Who am I? I know that I am a daughter, sister, soon to be someone’s wife, artist, writer, and many other things, but I don’t start with I am a Black woman, HIV-positive, a survivor of sexual trauma, a survivor of incest, or other tropes that people want to use in 2022.

I am beautifully majestic, and I happen to be sensationally HIV and positively glowing.

Copyright © 2022 by Sherley Delia, All rights reserved.