Friday the 13th: Just for your Info

The origins of this superstition that Friday the thirteenth is an unlucky date has variable, but deep, historical roots. It kind of originates from two seperate fears: the fear of Friday and the fear of the number 13. Just for your information, tradition holds that:

• Eve tempted Adam with the apple on a Friday.
• The flood in the Bible, the confusion at the Tower of Babel, happened on a Friday. What Biblical verse or scholars they quoted to support this...I have no idea!
• There were 13 people at the last supper of Jesus, with Judas the betrayer having been the thirteenth member of the party to arrive.
• Jesus was traditionally crucified on Good Friday. But in this case, as the name implies, that particular Friday is one Friday we should all be thankful for.
• The pagan lunisolar calendar had 13 months in some years, while the solar Gregorian calendar and lunar Islamic calendar always have 12 months in a year. Hence, 13 was considered to be a pagan, bad, bad number.
• Friday was also considered to be the witches' Sabbath and, on that day, each week, twelve witches and the Devil met - thirteen evil spirits in all.

So it is only understandable that having a Friday the 13th, two unlucky things, gives you the impression that you're heading for doomsday. But, is it understandable? We now live in the 21st centuary where we do know better. Or do we? Well, psychologists believe that Friday the 13th will become a day of bad luck if people focus on the day because people will create their own bad luck by paying attention to the superstition. Yet, we still have a term that specifically describes the phobia of Friday the 13th: paraskevidekatriaphobia. And even when the fear wouldn't be that extreme, most people would not get married, start a new job or close on a house on Friday the 13th. I personally don't like stocking on the idea of Friday the 13th holding such ill luck, partially because I know from first hand experience that bad things, big and small, happen to me all the time (my friends can confirm).

Apart from that, although my day was not so exciting, it was actually rather good. I actually managed to wake up early to get to St. Luke's Hospital at 7am to start studying at 7:30am. Then, I visited my old school and spoke to enough aquaintances that really made my day. So...how was your Friday the 13th?