Saturday, November 14, 2009

We Got Through Friday The 13th Ok.

And why not? Just what is the big deal with that day and those numbers? You would think a number and a day had power over us, as if we were helpless victims.

I have heard several reasons for the evil associated with thirteen, far too many to fit here with explanations. It’s because, well, not really; it’s due to, uh, no; it’s actually the result of, uh… And so on. It’s because back a long time ago, someone, somewhere, came up with the superstition and modern people still have it in their DNA.

We have a lot of things in our DNA, or wherever we store ancient memories, fears and other things that go bump in the night. If this blog is still around on December 22, 2012, I’ll be the first to shout, “I told you so!” The world did not come to an end; the movie was a fake; the Mayan calendar did not predict doomsday.

Friday the 13th is a superstition that goes back to, well, a hundred years ago? A thousand years ago? Take your pick, as the experts themselves don’t know. Ask one, get an answer; ask another, get a different answer. Further, Friday the 13th is regarded as a day of good luck, or bad luck, depending on where you live.

But we still observe the niceties: Hospitals don’t have rooms ending in 13 (even a Catholic hospital where I visited). My favorite cruise ship does not have a Deck 13. Some tall buildings do not have a 13th floor. When our priest noted there were 13 people at the daily Mass, one got up and left.