CAMP Safe  

This week’s CAMPsafe postcards and ads continue our Olympic theme and feature pole vaulting, which is, I think, one of the most amazing sports. Have you ever watched it? It’s an awesome sight to see a person propel him/herself thru the air on such a thin, skinny little pole! I mean, you see them running with that thing in their hands, they stick it in a little socket in the sand and BOING—go flying through the air. I’m not sure what amazes me the most about it but it just does. I’m know it takes a great deal of training and lots of practice but it also takes trust as well. That pole has to work! Can you imagine what would happen if it didn’t? Big ouch! What if that thing broke at just the wrong moment? I hate to think of the results.

Other than what I have seen on TV about pole vaulting, I really know very little about the sport, but there are a few things about which I can speculate. First, I can bet that these guys take a lot of responsibility for their own safety. They practice, practice, practice, and practice some more. They are also probably acutely observant and very in touch with their surroundings. Think about it—running down the track, sticking that pole in the socket, propelling themselves through the air— they have to know what they are doing. They have to move at precisely the right speed and know exactly how to position themselves to get the maximum amount of thrust. Their success as an athlete depends on how they treat and respect that pole!

We can learn a lot about safe sex from pole vaulters. They take responsibility for keeping their pole in the best condition possible, and I’m sure that they do everything possible to be safe. Like athletes of all kinds, we need to be observant about what goes on around us. A whole lot of bad things can happen to you if you aren’t observant and don’t keep your equipment in good order. Pole vaulters, I’m sure, always protect their poles and so should we. AIDS is only one of the many good reasons to practice safe sex.

My main task here is to do what is necessary to help you stay safe from HIV infection. I work pretty hard at this task. Realize that HIV isn’t the only thing out there threatening your safety and health. There is very real danger. Some people think that we sugarcoat things too much and that I should be more direct. I wish I could. But you have to remember what we are up against. We have to find ways to speak clearly and to not offend others. So while it might sometimes seem that I’m living in a metaphor, I do have straightforward answers to all your questions about HIV. Come by and talk to me about what you need to know to be safe.