Friday the 13th...bad luck? I think not!!!

Today is Friday, May 13th.

As I drove in this morning to work, I couldn't help but notice that there were considerably less traffic. I wondered...could people actually be taking the day off because they are afraid it is "Friday the 13th"??

So I did a bit of research...Okay I didn't have to look to far. An article in the Yahoo News quoted in part here: "Fears about Friday the 13th stem from early Christianity...Friday was the day on which Christ was crucified. ... Judas was considered the 13th person at the table (of the Last Supper) and he of course, is the betrayer. Taylor said 13 was linked with evil by Christians in the Middle Ages in the belief that witches met in covens of 13, and the 13th member was the devil. She adds the superstition is only a western phenomenon. "Within western culture Friday the 13th is perceived as being unlucky .... (In other cultures) it's meaningless."

So it seems that only the Western world (and we think that we are SOOOO much more advanced that every other part of this earth...yeah right) is afraid when the 13th day of any month falls on a Friday.

I admit I do not understand this particular fear. I parked in the number 13 spot when I went for my driver's test. I passed. I have never had anything bad happen to me on the 13th of any day...it happens on any other day. Most of all, today is my mother's 66th (real) birthday. (Her father only registered her as having been born on the 18th of May...due to the fact he waited too long to register her and would have had to pay a fine..it's a long story...back in Madeira...give the guy a break..his wife had 14 kids...never mind give my poor grandmother the break!!)

So you see, today, Friday, May 13th, 2005 is the day that my beautiful and loving mother has been on this earth for 66 years. Bad luck? Oh no. I'm the fortunate one. I could not have asked for someone who has been (next to God) my best friend. Someone who has loved me, understood me (including giving me a kick in the butt when I needed it) and showed tremendous patience with me all my life. Someone who rubbed my tummy when I had stomach pains (okay she doesn't do that any more...it's a big tummy now). She used to tickle my forehead and I would fall asleep knowing that I was loved and so safe in her arms. I watch her do that with my nieces now....and know that they are so very fortunate too.

So Friday the 13th....what a wonderful day this is. Enjoy it. I know I will!

Ben