Friday the 13th
Why is Friday the 13th considered to be such an
unlucky day? Nothing particularly bad happened to
me today. In fact, I had a pretty good day, capped
off by dinner and a movie (finally got to see "The
Matrix Reloaded," which I quite enjoyed despite
earlier predictions). In
truth, the day is probably as lucky or unlucky as
any other day, the fortunes of which are determined
by much more concrete factors than the day and
date.
The origins of most superstitions lie in history
and folklore, and this one's no different. Since I
was curious, I did a quick Google search and found
some interesting possibilities for the origin of
Friday the 13th as a day of ill omens. On Friday,
October 13, 1307, the Pope and the King of France
rounded up all the Knights Templars and sentenced
them all to death. Ever since then, the day has
been a symbol of bad luck. One could also speculate
on Biblical origins. Thirteen people attended the
Last Supper, and the day that followed—Good
Friday—brought woeful tidings indeed.
If I broke a mirror while walking under a ladder
in an unsuccessful attempt to keep a black
cat from crossing my path on Friday the 13th,
the net effect would likely be the same as if I sat
on the beach sipping a piña colada. Unlike
Morpheus in "The Matrix," I don't believe in
destiny. I believe we make our own luck with the
choices we make. As the old adage goes, "luck is
the intersection of opportunity and preparation."
The only way Friday the 13th might be unlucky is if
opportunity knocked on that day and you weren't
prepared.
Perhaps the best response to Friday the 13th is
one suggested by one of my coworkers this morning.
He clued me in on a tradition that I had no idea
existed: one is apparently supposed to go out and
drink a Bloody Mary on Friday the 13th. Perhaps not
the best way to prepare for your opportunity, but
it sounds like fun nonetheless.
©2003 Michael
Strickland ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED
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