Childhood nightmares... I had plenty. There were many occasions I would be startled from my sleep by a bad dream or awaken in the middle of the night to a room full of darkness complete with “monsters” under my bed and in my closet. I would cry out and my parents would come to my rescue. They would sit on my bed and lovingly stroke my forehead and say, “Everything is going to be ok!” This was such a comfort to me and my fears would disappear. I should point out my parents couldn’t make all my future bad dreams stop and all the monsters disappear. They couldn’t make all my troubles cease, but at that moment their comforting words and the warmth of their presence would make me believe that “everything would be ok!” Each time we encourage each other we make it easier to stand courageously empowered. The reality of HIV can’t be stopped. Those of us living with HIV understand that dark days come, fears often mount and the monsters line up to beat us down. I can’t stop them, though ...