In observance of World AIDS day

i've been struck with the thought 'how does one be mindful of World AIDS day?' Truly it's in poor taste to say 'Happy World AIDS day' like it was Christmas. And it wasn't until a moment ago that i even thought of the word observance, because truly that is what it is. All day though i have it's been on my mind, this disease has claimed too many lives, too many fathers, too many mothers, sons, daughters, loved ones'... This disease has left too many orphaned...
It grieves me to think of those who have been and are close to my heart that have lived with HIV/AIDS, but it also grieves me to think of anyone daily living with disease that strips a person of identity and eventually kills them. This is truly a disease that no one should be exposed to, because not only does the person living with HIV live with being sick almost all of the time, the loss of a healthy immune system, but also the stigma that comes along with what we as a society has deemed an 'unclean' disease. It is my belief no matter what it is in a persons' life, no one deserves HIV.
What really scares me is the thought that contracting HIV is back on the rise. i think i read that, or heard it on NPR or something. The thought though, terrifies me. Although we have had great advancements in medication, there still isn't a cure. It's not an epidemic, it's a pandemic.

i hope and dream that one day there will be a cure. i hope it will be in my life time, only because there are too many people in this world whose life has ended too soon.