We had opportunities to celebrate a birthday and my son’s anniversary both within the past week. It has been nice to be with friends and family as we mark milestones. As I age, I am reminded of the importance of celebrating every day we have together. This is also brought home to me as I watch my husband’s abilities change thanks to his diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. We just can’t do some of the things we used to do, and I wish we had done more while we still could.

Rather than think about what we can’t do, which leads me down a dark road, I like to think instead about what we can do to make sure each day matters. Being retired gives us a lot of time together and we want to do our best to keep that time pleasant. We greet each other every morning with a kiss and an “I love you” and end each day in the same way. Breakfasting together gives us a chance to read the newspaper and look forward to our day. We make time every afternoon for an aperitif, a light snack often accompanied by a small glass of wine as we check-in to see how our day is going. It’s a small yet meaningful celebration we do each and every afternoon. We dine by candlelight in the winter months and make toasts to something that has happened in our day. Every day has a purpose and a name, grocery shopping happens on “WinCo Day” and we try to pick up something special for lunch as a reward for completing the task.

We didn’t expect to be dealing with PD in retirement. We could let it take over and control our days or we can take control back. Too many of my friends have lost their partners, I still have mine and want to enjoy whatever time we have together. All the things we do may seem silly, but they help us stay on a positive track. Celebrating everything, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, makes our days lighter and our journey with PD easier. I will celebrate during good times, celebrate during bad times, rejoice all the time simply because I still can.