If it was not for bad luck, I would not have luck at all.

Being that I have had a rash of "bad luck", I decided to explore some of the so called "good luck charms."

In my quest to find good luck charms, I came across several superstitions about wishes. It is believed that if one wishes on a penny and throws it into a fountain, that their wish will come true. A falling star is not something most people see on a regular basis, so it is believed that if you see a falling star and wish on it, that wish will come true. On the grounds of wishes, what about wishing on any star? "Star light, star bright. First star I see tonight. I wish I may I wish I might. Grant this wish I wish tonight." What about wishing on your birthday cake candles?

Bringing luck to oneself could be as simple as finding something. It is believed that finding a horse shoe will bring a person good luck. My entire family has always placed a horse shoe or two above the doorway of a house. I asked my mother what it meant, and she told me that it was for good luck. Most people who believe in this superstition believe that the shoes should be placed facing upward so that the luck will not run out. The next time you find yourself walking through a field or pasture to find that horse shoe, pay close attention to the grass. You may find a four leaf clover. Three of the leaves is said to represent the Holy Trinity in some Irish beliefs. In others, the four cloves represent hope, faith, love, and luck, which the finder of one will have good luck in all of these areas. If you happen to walking in that same pasture looking for horseshoe and four leaf clovers, look for acorns. The superstition behind this is that an acorn carried in your pocket will bring good luck and long life. When you get home from your excursion in the pasture, take the acorn and put it in your window. This is believed to keep lightning away. If you find a cricket in your home, don't kill it! Little Jiminy may just bring some good fortune!

Who would have thought that locking lips with someone at a certain time would usher in good luck? Kissing under mistletoe is a common practice during the Christmas holidays. According to David Beaulieu, one of the guides to landscaping for About.com, mistletoe "was also the plant of peace in Scandinavian antiquity. If enemies met by chance beneath it in a forest, they laid down their arms and maintained a truce until the next day." Beaulieu also tells of the Norse myth of their most beloved god Balder, and how the mistletoe became a symbol for kissing.

“The Norse god Balder was the best loved of all the gods. His mother was Frigga, goddess of love and beauty. She loved her son so much that she wanted to make sure no harm would come to him. So she went through the world, securing promises from everything that sprang from the four elements--fire, water, air, and earth--that they would not harm her beloved Balder.
Leave it to Loki, a sly, evil spirit, to find the loophole. The loophole was mistletoe. He made an arrow from its wood. To make the prank even nastier, he took the arrow to Hoder, Balder's brother, who was blind. Guiding Holder's hand, Loki directed the arrow at Balder's heart, and he fell dead. Frigga's tears became the mistletoe's white berries. In the version of the story with a happy ending, Balder is restored to life, and Frigga is so grateful that she reverses the reputation of the offending plant--making it a symbol of love and promising to bestow a kiss upon anyone who passes under it (Beaulieu).”

Even though I have outlined a few of the many lucky superstitions, I feel like I must throw out this disclosure for all of you highly superstitious believers. Remember, luck is a two sided coin. If you practice any of these superstitions, you may want to get the entire facts so that you do not violate the “good luck” factors. It’s like the third law of Sir Isaac Newton, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”. What you do with your lucky charm may not be the problem, but rather what you don’t do. Think about it!



Works Cited:

Beaulieu, David. “Norse Myths and the History of Mistletoe.” About.com: Landscaping. 2008. New York Time Company. 30 Oct. 2008

What is superstition?

What is superstition? Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines it as,"1 a: a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation. b: an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition 2: a notion maintained despite evidence to the contrary1." Since the dawn of mankind, humans have strived to find one's purpose in life and rationalize common phenomena’s in life and nature.


As I think of the word "superstition", a few words come to mind: omens, myths, beliefs, customs, traditions, and even religion. In ancient Egypt, the bodies of important people were mummifies. As part of their religious beliefs, their organs were removed and stored in Canopic Jars. In ancient Greece, the custom of hospitality was greatly practiced because it was believed that gods adopted human forms and interacted with the people.

There is a good chance that just about everyone you know, and probably you too, practices some sort of superstition of some sort. A sports athlete who never changes his "lucky pair of socks", a health conscious phonetic who eats "an apple a day to keep the doctor away", even the math wiz kid who uses the same pencil during each flawless exam taken are all examples of superstitions.

Superstition, like most human behavior, can be explained psychologically and medically. Most have simply just been passed through the generations. Studies have shown that men are typically less superstitious than woman, as well as younger people tend to be more superstitious than the old. What do you think? My intent in these next few blogs is to dig a little deeper into the root of superstation and try to understand the orgins, beliefs, and backgrounds of some of the most common superstations we all typically practice or know.



Works sited:
"superstition." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2008.
Merriam-Webster Online. 28 October 2008

Here I am!

My name is Federick Brooks, but to friends, I am know simply as "Fed". As a common misconception, most people want to call me "Frederick", so to correct the mispronunciation of my beautiful God given name, I just "KISS" (Keep It Simple Stupid/Silly). This is my first attempt at blogging, so bear with me, or just don't read it. Here is a quick down and dirty about me: I was born in Texas, two older siblings, twin brother, five younger siblings, married, one kid, and living life.

Allow me to eloborate on my family situation. My mother had four kids, my father had seven. My twin brother and I are the youngest of my mom's, but the oldest of my dads. In September, I just celibrated my two year wedding anniversay. My wife and son are the most precious things in the world to me.

Currently, I am serving in the United States Marine Corps, stationed at Quantico, VA. Virginia is cool, but not home to me. I don't really have a lot of hobbies, but being that I am very competitive, I am a sports nut.

As I previously mentioned, this is my first blog. It's for my English 112 class. Feel free to comment, critique, critize, etc. Believe me, I have thick skin, and an even smarter mouth.