Shola Luna

Shola Luna. You might not have been aware, but I’ve mentioned her several times before in previous posts. Maybe not by name. But she, or he, is the “resident counselor” at the RITM that I’ve always been referring to. And I'm sure she has been able to counsel a lot of other pozzies by sharing her own plight with HIV

I don’t really remember how it was the first time we met. I recall she was there when U first brought me to RITM. But of course, I was my usually shy self, and I hardly spoke to anyone other than U, and the doctor, of course. So I don’t really recall my first impression of her.

I do remember, though, the day that I brought a new guy to RITM to get him started on his HIV journey. Shola was there with Ate, and that was the time that they were talking about other pozzies not being pleased about some people disclosing the hospitals, doctors and terms related to HIV via the net. Of course, they weren’t aware just yet that I was one of the culprits.

I thought I was safe, until the new guy I brought let it slip that we had met thru my blog. I felt Shola’s suspicion as she asked what the URL was. I felt I’d been exposed and had no choice but to guiltily give it. My friend and I were laughing at my getting exposed as we headed home, but I just shrugged it off. What’s done is done. Bahala na, I thought.

The next trip I made to RITM, Shola was there again, and started me off by saying she’d read my blog already. Like a little boy, I was ready for a scolding, but surprisingly she said she liked it and thought it was okay. That was like a load off my chest, and that’s when I knew for sure, I wasn’t doing anything bad.

Since then, I got to hang out more with her at the clinic and play assistant to her when talking with newbies there.

She was the one who introduced me to the Positivism.ph team, and I can’t thank her enough for that. Shola is also part of the Positivism.ph team, and not to mention the first cover story of Positivism.ph.

I enjoy her company because, like me, she likes to laugh a lot. Very Positivism.

I remember one time when we met at Glorietta from where we were to head to the Hotbox office for a Positivism meeting. While waiting for E, who was late as usual, she suddenly needed to go peepee. I pointed out that she had the advantage of going to either of the men’s or the ladies’ rooms, and jokingly suggested she go to the restroom for the disabled instead. She laughed and said she hated lining up at ladies’ rooms, and thought it’d be more fun in the men’s room. Gulp. Yikes

It was hilarious how guys needed to take a second look if they were in the right comfort room upon seeing Shola there. I was just thankful she chose to go into one of the cubicles, rather than stand at one of the urinals. That would’ve been more outrageous! I admit, I was ready to put my dukes up in case anyone had any problems with the situation. Fortunately, it wasn’t anything more than a good laugh.

At one point during the Positivism.ph thing, I got tasked to try and manga-nize Shola for the magazine. But I was stumped! I couldn’t even get past the first option of choosing whether she was male or female. Hahaha. She might kill me when she finds that out.

Although most of the time I’ve spent with her have been more fun and comfortable than anything else, behind her now peace-loving and happy façade, lies a cluttered past which she’s been able to overcome.

Watch more of her at Positivism.ph, where she’s featured in the Reel Deal segment.