Superstition is a judgmental term for any belief or practice that is irrational. It usually arises from unawareness, misunderstanding of science, a positive belief in fate or magic or fear of that which is unknown. It is also commonly applied to beliefs and practices surrounding luck, prophecy, and particularly the acceptance that future events can be foretold by specific unrelated prior events. But to most of us which have varying degrees of superstition, all that doesn’t matter – we have our own reasons for being so.
According to folklore, breaking a mirror is a sure-fire way to doom yourself to seven years of bad luck, because of the belief that the mirror can’t now reflect your image. People have come up with countermeasures, including my partner Sheila. When she broke a mirror last year, she kept the biggest piece on hand until it could be transfixed on the next full moon. After that she buried it in the rose bushes, believing her bad luck would vanish. I don’t think it did!
I got a chuckle the other night when playing high-stakes ‘Texas Holdum’. I asked one of the guys if he was superstitious? He shot back, “I am superstitious about telling anyone what I’m superstitious of.” He should have said poker instead as he had a terrible evening at the table.
Countries themselves have prevalent superstitions associated with them. For instance, in Nigeria one must never kiss a baby on the lips, or the baby will drool when it grows into adulthood. Even if not true, there shouldn’t really be kissing babies on the lips anyway. In the UK, when you wake up on the first day of the month and say the word “rabbit” or “white rabbits” you will have good luck for the whole month.
Chinese home buyers seek the numbers 6, 8 or 9 to be included in the house number. Before scoffing, a savvy agent in Australia scored a multi-million-dollar sale to such a buyer just by changing the number of a luxury home from an inauspicious 64 to lucky 66! It is also undesirable for the front and back doors to be aligned as this allows positive energy that enters through the front to escape directly out the back.
One local superstition that captures many folks interest is the haunting of Buck Hill, located somewhere between Wilno and Round Lake Centre. It seems that a logger and his family lived in the valley below. One stormy night in wintertime the pet dog got out and his daughter went looking for it but she didn’t return. The distraught father grabbed his lantern and began to search for her but she had vanished. The father who went mad with grief never gave up his quest, continuing to this very day. Some locals are fearful of going to this site but others from further afield make a point to gather on the hilltop, waiting patiently to catch a glimpse of the father’s lantern, sometimes seen flickering in various colours. My partner and I saw the lantern weaving in the valley below. It was green that night and it was spellbinding. The drive home was a nerve-wracking and quiet.
Then there are the expressions that people repeat routinely: “Black cat unlucky but in Europe lucky”, “Green Christmas, full graveyard by spring” and a ballplayer has one as a reminder, “Touch all the bases after hitting a home run”.
Maybe I shouldn’t say this but my Ex was really superstitious about clothing. She always bought in two’s; two dresses, two sweaters, etc. She was adamant that any piece of clothing once put on must never be changed back or bad luck would follow. That meant that sweaters or socks would be worn backwards or inside out for the day, regardless. On occasion a bra had to be contended with while being upside down or topsy-turvy. That’s where I would have drawn the line!
I am not afraid to walk under ladders and black cats are my favourite ones but I do have a superstition myself. I insist on being buried with my feet to the east and on my back so that I can see the sun rising in the morning.
