It happened just last week. I had lunch with a friend from my CarePartner network on Monday, there was a virtual support group and an appointment with my therapist on Tuesday, our breakfast group on Friday and a half-day CarePartner summit on Saturday. That’s a lot of support for one week and, while there may be times when I would need that much support, it really felt like too much. Just as Parkinson’s Disease can take over our lives, I wonder if CP support doesn’t do that sometimes?

I am learning that it is important for me to be choosy about the activities I participate in. My self-care and support needs vary depending on the day, my mood, even my energy level. There are times when I feel like I am doing great and all I need for myself is a brief walk outside or a few uninterrupted minutes with a good book. Then there are those times when I really need to talk to someone, to hear another person say they understand and that I am going to make it through no matter how hard it gets. There are times when solitude gives me peace and times when I really need the comfort of being in a compassionate and caring group of partners. Above it all, I need to know that both of these options are available to me during my journey.

I need to be conscientious and intentional about my self-care and the support activities I participate in. I need to remember that my being there helps not only me, but my fellow CarePartners too. I need to fully engage because if I am just going through the motions, I am cheating myself of the benefits. And, I need to be mindful because not everything is going to be helpful and I just don’t have enough time for those things that are not. As a friend once told me, “If it doesn’t make me smile, it’s gone.” Granted she was talking about the plants in her garden, but isn’t this a great measure to use for the things I do in my search for serenity?