Where did the phobia of 13 come from? And do some still believe in it?
Ancient Persians believed the twelve constellations in the Zodiac controlled the months of the year, and each ruled the earth for a thousand years at the end of which the sky and earth collapsed in chaos. Therefore, the thirteenth is identified with chaos and the reason Persian leave their houses to avoid bad luck on the thirteenth day...(Wikipedia)
Apparently, some people tried to stop superstitions all together. A dinner was club was formed called, "The Thirteen Club". On Friday the 13th at 8:13 13 people met in the 13th room. They walked under a ladder to get to the room and sat among piles of spilled salt. No one died.
Many tall buildings do not have floors numbered '13'. It's not like the builders were counting and said, "Who put this 13th floor in? Don't they teach you anything in school?"
"We can work through this. Let's just pretend this floor never happened and work on 14!"
Many airlines have no 13th row; some airports have no 13th gate; their is no F-13 aircraft. The manufacter made a F-12 and skipped right to F-14.
What about Friday the 13th? Who made that up? Was it an anniversary gone bad?
"Honey, you know what today is don't you?"
"Friday the 13th?" comes the reply from behind the paper.
"It's our 1 month no-throwing-dirty-diapers-at-each-other anniversary! How could you forget!"
The man ducks as a dirty diaper splats against the wall behind him. (Based on a true story)
There is a Friday the 13th phobia. I'm not lying. It's paraskavedekatriaphobia. Try saying that word three times. It is esteemated that $800-900 million in business is lost on this day because people refuse to go to work, fly or even get out of bed!
I think the number 13 can also be good. We had 13 stripes on the flag representing 13 colonies. Jesus plus his 12 disciples make 13. I was proposed to on Friday the 13th and married on the 13th (Thursday). Our anniversary occasionly falls on Friday the 13th.
Can you think of other good 13s?
In our home the rite of passage to 13 years-old happened not once but TWICE this week. Meg and Ren had their 13th birthdays this year on seperate days. We have triple chocolate cake, pumpkin pie and an ice cream cake at our house
(our 8yr old turned 9 a few days ago). Meg and Ren have invited 13 friends to their birthday party. They got 13 presents between the two of them. It takes them 13 minutes to get out of school and to the carpool. I have to ask 13 times before they do their chores.
Are these good omens or just unlucky? This 13th year will tell. There will be some good and not so good mingled together in 2009 but if the first 13 years of Meg and Ren's lives are any indication of what will come, the good will outweigh everything else.
It took 7 not 13 years of anxiously praying and waiting before they were born into our family. My belly was probably 13 times bigger than it should have been! Ren waited 75 minutes after Meg was born before making his appearance (hence, born on different days)( I wish it had been 13 seconds or even 13 miuntes!).
But those two coming into my life have blessed me 13x13x13xinfinity. I truly love them with all the motherly love I have to give and beyond. I have no way to pay a loving Heavenly Father back for the blessings He has giving me.
I think I will try and hug my children 13 times today.
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