access to life

The Corcoran has an exhibit up called Access to Life.  It’s a photojournalistic view of basically AIDS/HIV around 9 countries in the world.  Tuberculosis and malaria are also under it’s focus, but what seemed to be primarily displayed was about AIDS/HIV.   A friend of mine mentioned it, and we went to go take a look.

All I can really say is it’s a sad an humbling experience rolled into one.  It’s not a large exhibit, but the imagery is strong.  We hear and see about this all the time-it’s nothing new really.  But for some reason, I felt the stories that went along with the picture story boards were harder hitting.  There is a mix of despair and hope and death that taunts you.  And from an artistic point of view, the handwritten comments brought a very human element, even though they were static pictures of real people.  I’m not sure how to best explain it.

But my point in all this is that it really makes you look at where you are.  There isn’t enough credit given to those who make it their life’s work to help these people.  While I’m not advocating we all should go out and join the Peace Corps (I honestly couldn’t do it, but we all have our places), I ask that everyone just take a step back and fully appreciate what you have and where you are.  I, too, need to take my own advice, as life is far to short to waste away.