Okay, Listen Here

Okay, Listen Here

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Very Superstitious


Superstitious? Oh, yeah, I am the QUEEN of superstitions. I have been known to drive my family crazy about them. Recently, at the beach, my sister put a hat on the bed and I nearly had a stroke. I honestly think I almost scared her to death when I snatched it off the bed and began lecturing her about it being bad luck, a portent of DEATH!! Muttering at me, she said it might mean death - hers from a heart attack.

When she asked me where such a stupid superstition came from, I was flummoxed. I didn’t know; all I knew was that it was bad. That sent me to the Internet because I now had a burning question (I cannot have an unanswered question). Well, I found the reason for the superstition. It seems that Catholic priests used to wear a small cap (like yarmulkas worn by Jewish men or the skullcaps worn by Bishops and the Pope) that they never took off, even when they were indoors. EXCEPT when they were putting on their vestments to give Last Rites. So they would lay their hat on the bed of the sick person while they were changing. Hence, the superstition – A hat on the bed means death. See, there was a reason for it. The article went on to say that American cowboys strictly adhere to this superstition.

Being a spatial thinker, whose mind runs in fifty directions at one time, I started looking at the different sites about superstitions. I found a few that intrigued me. One in particular discussed the beliefs about the body. I thought about how we describe our characters as writers and it struck me that some of these were funny. So, I thought I’d share a few with you:

HAIR - A sudden loss of hair is unlucky, forecasting a decline in health, loss of property or failure in business, or the death of a child. Red hair is associated with fiery-tempered people; black and dark brown hair indicate strength; fair hair implies timidity. On a man, if the hair grows low on the forehead and back above the temples he will have a long life; if a woman's hair grows in a low point on her forehead ('widow's peak') she will outlive her husband. If a woman suddenly develops curls on her forehead her man has not long to live. Lank hair = a cunning nature; Curly hair = good-natured, full of fun; Long hair = strength (e.g. Samson) and luck.

So that means that I: am cunning; timid; and going to outlive my husband. Well two out of three might be right.

EARS - Small ears denote a delicate character and thick ears denotes a person of a sensual/coarse nature. Thin, angular ears = a bad temper; Long or prominent ears = a person with musical inclinations. The larger the ear lobes, the greater the intellect.

I ran to the mirror to determine the size of my ears and, most especially the lobes. Alas, both are normal sizes. Maybe my lobes are a bit large…hopefully.

MOUTH - If you bite your tongue while you are eating then you have recently told a lie.
A large gap between the teeth = lucky in life; Large teeth = physical strength; Small, regular teeth = careful and methodical in your habits. I have to add one that my grandfather always said – a woman with thin lips is mean-spirited.

I have small regular teeth so I am careful and methodical (yeah right). I also go through quite a bit of Peroxyl – I always seem to bite my tongue so does that mean I have told a lot of lies lately? Oh, wait, that might be a result of holding my tongue to keep from telling stupid people…

HANDS – If your right palm itches, you are going to receive money. If the left hand itches, you are going to lose money. Two people should never wash their hands in the same water, it will cause a quarrel. Large, thick hands = strength of character; Small, slender hands = weak and timid character; Long hands = ingenious nature; Short ones = careless and foolish nature; Hard hands = rudeness; Soft hands = wit; Hairy hands = a person who likes luxury (or he’s a werewolf). A damp hand = an amorous disposition; while “a cold hand means a warm heart”. 
Long fingers = artistic; Short, thick fingers = intemperate and silly; a crooked little finger = omen of wealth; the first finger (the 'poison finger') should never be used to administer medicines; the third finger (the 'wedding' finger) is said to be linked directly to the heart. Specks on the nails: 
yellow = death; black = ill-luck; white = good fortune to come.

Once again I have a weak and timid character while being artistic and witty. Maybe…

So this cunning, timid, lie-telling, not-so-bright, witty person wants to hear some of your superstitions. My family gets tired of walking through salt while I am cooking (throwing it over my shoulder to prevent bad luck when I usually spill it). What do you do to ward off the Evil Eye? Share some of your family superstitions with us. I never tire of them – ask my sister…


black cat Pictures, Images and Photos

7 comments:

  1. I have a black cat that routinely sits in the room with me when I write. I think he's pretty good luck so far. Have you investigated feng shui? There are some crazy rules in that stuff. No fish in the bedroom, etc.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Debra! It's very lucky to own a black cat, just unlucky if you are the non-owner and it crosses your path. Yes, I am also a feng shui nut. I have wind chimes by the front and back doors to bring good luck into the house. No toilet seat is to be left up because all your money goes down the drain. Doesn't hurt to be cautious. I also rearranged my bedroom because I wasn't sleeping well. It worked. Maybe there is something to it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am not very superstitious because I believe that if I follow the rules that I will be safe and successful. I realize, of course, that this is not the case in the real world but I can't seem to move past it. Maybe that is why Jean and I are such good friends because we both love the rules!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The black-cat-crossing-your-path thing has always confused me. Does it mean the black cat crossed your path behind you, meaning the path you've already walked (in which case, given that it's BEHIND you, how do you know about it?) or is it crossing in front of you, on your eventual (future) path, which you would then see and could change by simply not walking there.

    Being logical can sometimes be a burden .

    ReplyDelete
  5. If only Stephanie would let me wear my lucky charm bracelet when we pitch. I know, since it catalogs my life from the time I was little girl, that it's big and very jingly but I control it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Aw Stephanie, I am a rule follower too but I do enjoy the superstitions. Why tempt fate? Seriously, I do it because I heard it growing up - sort of a rule in my grandmother's house. Being Irish and Scot, she had quite a few rules to follow about luck.

    Maven Linda, it's if the cat is crossing in front of you but that is only in America. In England it is considered good luck. The story goes that it is from the American witch hysteria in the 17th century when people thought witches changed into black cats at night. The people were afraid the witch would do something to them. As for changing your path, I guess you could or just turn around. But if you had to cross the path because that was the only way home, I guess you're hosed. LOL

    Jean, I believe in lucky charms! There were certain items of jewelry I would only wear to Auburn football games last season which I had never worn before to games. It turned out lucky for us! (I'm not telling what I wore because they might disappear for the season). Tell Stephanie you promise not to jingle and we'll be seeing your names on that book in a year!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Please keep wearing the correct Auburn Jewelry!!! We need to be lucky this next season, too. War Eagle!

    ReplyDelete