SUPERSTITIONS

Hello and welcome to my blog! Today is Friday the 13th. Burrr. What was that chill? Must have been a draft. Anyway, like I was saying, it is Friday the 13th and for some people this is an unlucky day. For me it’s a day like any other. I’m one of those people who claim not to have any superstitions. Of course I avoid scheduling anything significant on this day, not for my sake, but simply because I know there are others who may not attend a social event planned on this day. For instance, my first book signing event was scheduled by my publisher’s publicist for today, but I promptly changed it to tomorrow.

Oh! Who am I kidding? I purposely changed the date of my book signing, not because I thought a Saturday would be better, and not because I thought less people would show, but because I was afraid. There I said it! The number 13 is unlucky enough, but add Friday and it spells disaster. However, I want to make it clear that I’m not a superstitious person, I simply respect the unknown (clearing throat).

So what is the origin of Friday the 13th?

There are different theories, but according to folklorists, there is no written evidence for a “Friday the 13th” superstition before the 19th century. One theory states that it is simply the putting together of two older superstitions: that 13 is an unlucky number and that Friday is an unlucky day.

Why is the number 13 considered unlucky?

In numerology the number twelve is considered the number of completeness, as indicated in the twelve months of the year, twelve hours of the clock, twelve tribes of Israel, twelve apostles of Jesus, twelve signs of the Zodiac, etc., in contrast the number thirteen was considered odd and uneven, infringing on this completeness.

Why is Friday considered an unlucky day?

Friday was the day Jesus Christ was crucified.  According to some, Friday the 13th of October 1307, hundreds of Knights Templar were arrested and killed in France, an action apparently motivated financially. On August 13th, 1821, the Aztec Empire comes to an end. On July 13, 1821 notorious Confederate general and Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest is born in Tennessee. On October 13, 1989, the Dow Jones experienced the second largest drop that it had ever experienced. Need I say more?

Do you know what the fear of Friday the 13th is called?

Friggatriskaidekaphobia  (try using this word in a game of “Hang man”)

So, are you a superstitious person? Before you say no, answer the following questions:

Do you wish upon a star?

Do you hesitate to open an umbrella indoors?

Do you carry a “Lucky” rabbit’s foot?

Do you say, “God bless you” when someone sneezes?

Do you knock on wood?

Do you feel a sudden chill when you break a mirror?

What are some of your superstitions?