Letter from the Editor

We've titled this month's cover story "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" because we highlight the work of HIV prevention programs in both the nearby Catskills and Pocono Mountains. These rural communities are within driving distance of New York City, but can seem at times to be a world away. While it's become commonplace to hear about HIV and AIDS in the big cities, as these stories relate, the challenges can be much greater in rural regions.

As our correspondents in the Catskills tell us, "The problems of providing AIDS services and education in rural areas are not just geographical, but social and cultural as well. In this kind of tight-knit social milieu, when people feel unsure of how others will react to them being HIV-positive, they hide, isolate themselves and try to be invisible. The consequences can be devastating when people assume that AIDS is a purely urban problem."

In this issue, we also offer a variety of articles that we hope you will find inspirational. James Monroe Smith tells about how living with AIDS has changed his outlook for the better: "The freedom that I experience from having AIDS has also brought me peace. When I am peaceful and in solitude, I tend to gain, rather than to lose, perspective." Author Joseph Sharp introduces us to his moving new book Spiritual Maturity: Stories and Reflections for the Ongoing Journey of the Spirit. And, in this month's Last Word, Body Positive volunteer Antoinette-Marie Williams tells us what it means to be "handicapable."

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This article was provided by Body Positive. It is a part of the publication Body Positive.