What do you celebrate on Friday the 13th? If you’re like most people, you don’t. Why not? Triskaidekaphobia?

Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition. It occurs when the 13th day of the month in the Gregorian calendar falls on a Friday, which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year.

My wife and I started our decades long relationship on Friday the 13th. We met the year before but something happened at Kevin and Melanie’s wedding reception. Yes, on Friday the 13th.

She came to the reception with a new hairstyle and that sparked a conversation which helped start of a flame of love that has not ended and in many ways grows stronger and brighter.

Triskaidekaphobia? How about Paraskevidekatriaphobia?

The irrational fear of the number 13 has been given a scientific name: “triskaidekaphobia”; and on analogy to this the fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia, from the Greek words Paraskeví (Παρασκευή, meaning “Friday”), and dekatreís (δεκατρείς, meaning “thirteen”)

Through our years together we have celebrated Friday the 13th as a special day in our lives. We call it Black Friday. Memorable, no? Some years there is only one Friday the 13th; other years up to three. We prefer to celebrate at Ruth’s Chris Steak House but the COVID pandemic has changed dining out habits.

What does Friday the 13th have to do with my battle with ALS?

Goals.

February 13th (not a Friday the 13th this year; a Saturday) marks 40 years we have been a couple. We are still romantic and inseparable. People tell us we act like newlyweds (hint: not always).

My goal is to make it February 13th. Close enough.