She is in her early twenties, beautiful and full of dreams like every young woman her age. You would never imagine the silent battle she has been fighting all her life.
As we talked, she opened up about her struggles, and I truly felt for her.
She has never had a boyfriend. Not because she isn’t attractive or because men don’t notice her. In fact, she is the kind of lady many would admire. But fear has built a wall around her heart.
She was born with HIV.
She contracted the virus through mother‑to‑child transmission at a time when awareness and access to proper medical care were not what they are today. She got to know about her status when she was little she couldn’t remember the exact age she mentioned.
Since then, she has remained faithful to her treatment. She has taken her drugs consistently and fought battles. She said she was living with her stepmother and her father; her mother’s whereabouts are still unknown to her till date.
Today, she’s a graduate and has just completed her NYSC.
Her heart is so full of worries.
She worries about love.
She worries about marriage.
She worries about the day she will have to tell someone she cares about her status.
She worries that the moment she opens her heart, she may be rejected for something she never chose.
The painful part is that she has spent her entire life trying to do everything right. She stayed away from relationships. She protected herself emotionally. Yet she still feels as though life handed her a burden she did not deserve.
I encouraged her as much as I could.
I told her that her diagnosis does not define her worth. I reminded her that she is more than a medical condition. I told her that the right man will see her heart before he sees her status. Deep down, I know this journey is not easy.
Some battles are fought quietly.
Some tears are shed where nobody can see them.
Some fears are carried in silence for years.
As I left, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.
How many people are carrying invisible burdens like hers?
How many are longing to be loved, accepted, and understood?
Her story is a reminder that sometimes the strongest people are not the ones who appear fearless. They are the ones who wake up every day, carry their pain with dignity, and keep moving forward despite the uncertainty.
I pray life is kind to her.
I pray she finds love that sees beyond labels.
I pray she finds someone who will hold her hand and remind her that she is worthy of happiness.
Most of all, I pray she never loses hope, because at times when things get so rough in the journey, the only thing I made sure I never lost was my hope.
This is so sad to read.
ReplyDeleteI feel so sad for her,I pray that love finds her but she should learn to live herself more while at it
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