Restoring Hope

HUGGY is my personal RED HIV/AIDS Awareness Bear

Huggy was given to me as an unexpected Valentines Day gift during the beginning (1st 5-6yrs) of my HIV diagnosis and has provided so much RESTORATION to my LIFE! 

During the time this life-saving red bear was gifted to me, I was severely depressed. I should’ve been on meds but I refused. HIV medications was already one too many pills to commit to. This bear was nicely packaged in a gift basket with some familiar fragrances that I was sure to be allergic to like most perfumes and body sprays. So of course I didn’t spray myself I used the bear as a pawn lol. But catch this… they say your highest sense connected to memory is smell. Well clearly I had been longing for a missing part of me and once I smelled Huggy he brought back memories of my transition from childhood to adulting that I had forgotten about. You know those pieces of my identity that I’d lost from the brokenness and hurt that trauma had highjacked.

 I believe that EVERY person should be able to cherish the innocence in which their memories carry. Often times as we GROW through life and experience traumas, we forget how our precious childhood framed the little joys of being alive as an adult. I forgot who I was prior to my HIV diagnosis because I had fallen into a SEVERE depression. I had made HIV my identity. HUGGY reminded me that I knew what it's like to be joyful no matter what difficult situation stood/crossed my path. HUGGY is simply a RED teddy bear representing Restoration, Hope, HIV/AIDS Awareness and more importantly for HUGS!

You wear a Red Ribbon for Me and I carry a Red Bear for YOU #HUGLIFE

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