"So how did Friday the 13th become such an unlucky day?
Dossey, also a folklore historian and author of Holiday Folklore, Phobias and Fun, said fear of Friday the 13th is rooted in ancient, separate bad-luck associations with the number 13 and the day Friday. The two unlucky entities ultimately combined to make one super unlucky day.
Dossey traces the fear of 13 to a Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party at Valhalla, their heaven. In walked the uninvited 13th guest, the mischievous Loki. Once there, Loki arranged for Hoder, the blind god of darkness, to shoot Balder the Beautiful, the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow.
"Balder died and the whole Earth got dark. The whole Earth mourned. It was a bad, unlucky day," said Dossey. From that moment on, the number 13 has been considered ominous and forboding."
This Friday some people will be so paralyzed with fear they simply won't get out of bed. Others will steadfastly refuse to fly on an airplane, buy a house, or act on a hot stock tip. It's Friday the 13th, and they're freaked out.
"It's been estimated that [U.S] $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day because people will not fly or do business they would normally do," said Donald Dossey, founder of the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina. " Nat. Geographic
So, do you believe in bad luck? I really do not. I think bad things happen, but lots of good things happen. I think today is gonna be an amazingly great day, Friday the 13th or not!
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4 comments:
Friday the 13th does not bother me-13 has many times even been a lucky # for me. Lots of bad things do happen and not on the 13th. Interesting about $ loss on that day.
No I do not. In fact, I've had some vey good Friday the 13ths - defended my dissertaion successfully, went on my first post-marriage date, had a great date this past Fiday the 13th. But I don't think it's a lucky day either - it's just a day. Good and bad things can happen on any day.
Interesting history on Friday the 13th! I am not a superstitious person so I'll still have my fun on the 13th like any ole day!
I'm not superstitious either. It was just another day to me. Now if the week before had happened on the 13th, maybe I'd have reason to consider it! ha ha. Just joking. Knock on wood. Just joking again!
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