I know I have already written a lot this morning, but I need to get this written too.

Yesterday was World AIDS Day. A year ago, I probably would have noticed that on the Yahoo News page, and not given it much of a second thought. This year, it was profoundly different.

This year I have read Melissa Faye Greene's book, There is No Me Without You, and really gotten an understanding of how devastating the AIDS crisis is in Africa, both on the small scale and on the large scale.

This year I have spent hours and hours at AHOPE with rooms full of children with HIV, and realized that these kids are happy and sweet and full of life and hope...not sad, sick, dieing children.

This year I brought home my daughter...my daughter who is beautiful and sweet and loving and smart and hilarious and shy and perfect...and also happens to be HIV+.

This year I have committed to educating those around me about HIV.

This year I have dedicated a piece of my heart to all of the children who are HIV+ and are also orphans.

This year it has become one of my most sincerest desires and prayers that more of these children will find the love and security that only comes from having a forever family.

This year i have realized that we take a lot of things for granted here in the US...food, homes, cars, toys, clean water and access to medical care and medications.

This year I really thought about how wrong and unfair it is that so many people in this world will shun and mistreat and judge people who are HIV+.

This year AIDS went from being just another headline on the news, to being something very close to home.

If you have not yet visited Light To Unite, I ask you to take a minute and do so. Brystol Myers is donating a dollar to AIDS research every time someone visits the web page and lights a candle. You don't have to give any personal info at all, and it literally just takes a few seconds. You can also click on the candles to read personal stories about HIV/AIDS. Belane's story is in there.

So go and light a candle...light one for Belane, or for a child at AHOPE, or for another person you know.

If you want to do something more, you can visit AHOPE's web site and learn about how to sponsor an HIV+ child for $30 a month, or choose a gift off of their holiday wish list to send.

Let this be the year that lots of us decide to care.