By: Jennifer Richardson Holt
I had to do a little research. It’s one of those odd things that most everyone has heard about, and yet I feel like most people don’t have any clue about where the idea came from. I had always heard about it, but when it came down to the background, I didn’t really have any idea, hence I had to turn to the limitless—and often questionable—bounds of the internet to find out where the whole thing got its start. The idea that is well known and not well known all at once is the fascinating reactions that people all over have to the number thirteen.
I feel I must preface before I say anything else to make it very clear that I do not think I could possibly be less superstitious. I haven’t the faintest sense of concern about what is or is not lucky. As a matter of fact, I don’t even really believe in luck. I do have a quirk or two that might make you think slightly differently, such as I do tend to think that irony follows me around in the sense that if there is some random, unlikely, usually negative connotation that can result from a scenario, that said connotation will find its way to me. That isn’t so much me feeling I have “bad luck” as it is me having a slight pessimistic streak, I think.
I will confess that when it comes to college football, I do occasionally do things that seem like superstition. I have specific colors of clothing that I wear for games, even if I am doing nothing but watching at home. But the thing is, I am well aware that they most certainly don’t provide any sort of consistent benefit for my team. So that is less me having “lucky” clothing items like you hear of players having lucky socks or the like, and more me just liking to coordinate and show my spirit. And that, I promise, is as close as I come to being a person ascribing to fortunes and attempting to alter them.
Apparently, the huge qualm that many people have with old number thirteen goes back to reasons that, personally, I find a bit unconvincing for meriting such a strong response. But who am I?
There is the idea that Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, was the thirteenth guest at the Last Supper. I mean, do we really know he was the last one in the door? What if it was Christ Himself? Well then, all the qualm over that final guest who came and sat with the disciples seems a bit ridiculous, does it not? Though, I don’t suppose it was a particularly pleasant night for Him, come to think of it.
And another origin story is that there was a dinner party amongst the Norse gods, and the trickster Loki appeared as the thirteenth, uninvited guest, which led to some deity dying? I thought gods were supposed to be immortal, but I am not up to snuff on the details of such things, apparently.
I bring up all this talk of thirteen for a reason. I am not just going on a ramble about rabbit’s feet or four-leaf clovers. I promise I do have something of a point.
The date of this writing is my thirteenth wedding anniversary.
Okay, Jennifer, good for you, you may say.
This means we got married in a year ending in 13.
Okay. I see what you’re getting at, but still, just a happenstance for this year’s anniversary and all.
Our daughter was born on the thirteenth.
So that is three thirteens this year, but two if you don’t count our anniversary number. But if you need something to balance out the threes, we also have a black cat.
So, with all that seeming like it should be just inviting bad luck, actually, my life is pretty awesome.
I have a wonderful marriage. Sure, we get on each other’s nerves at times, but that is part of the charm of having a spouse: to lovably annoy them. I have a fantastic daughter who is a delightful combination of both intelligent and clever, which pair beautifully like bread and cheese. Even my black cat is quite the handsome beast and, overall, a joy of a creature.
All these supposed bad omens are serving me pretty well.
It’s good I’m not superstitious, because if I were, all this would have made me too anxious to notice just how good I have it.
So, as far as I am concerned, bring on thirteen.
Thus far, it’s proven to be quite the lovely number.
Prose and Possibilities 