Be careful what you do today...or else!
Even those of among us who won't admit to being superstitious can't help but do a double-take upon hearing the words, "Friday the 13th." Of course, if you were a teen when the movie was a mega-hit (or was it? It seemed like it to me since everyone I knew had seen it)either 'back in the day' or recently, that alone may have cemented this knee-jerk reaction.
But why does the fear prevail?
In 2009 we will have 3 of these 'special' days, so I thought it was worth doing a little digging to find out the origins of this superstition
Wikipedia has several explanations for this superstition. The full posting can be found at, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_the_13th, but I thought a couple of the explanations were worth sharing.
One theory states that it is a combination of two older superstitions: that thirteen is an unlucky number and that Friday is an unlucky day.
Another explanation that I found compelling was that the Knights of Templar, the organization made popular in the book the Divinici Code were all arrested by King Philip in France on Friday, October 13, 1307 - Friday the 13th.
There is also a theory that it came about because of the belief that the 13th person seated at the table during the last supper betrayed Jesus.
There are very complex theories based in numerology that the number itself is unlucky (think skyscrapers with no 13th floor).
The fear of Friday the 13th is so pervasive that there are actually names for it, paraskavedekatriaphobia as well as friggatriskaidekaphobia.
The good news for those of you made nervous by this calendar coincidence, we are already completely through the first one of 2009 and almost through the second. The final Friday the 13th of this year will be on November 13th.
Just stay away from black cats and don't walk under ladders today and you will be fine!!
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