Very superstitious,
Writing’s on the wall,
Very superstitious,
Ladders bout’ to fall,
Thirteen-month-old baby,
Broke the lookin’ glass
Seven years of bad luck,
The good things in your past
When you believe in things
That you don’t understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain’t the way
Superstition – Stevie Wonder. 1972
Years ago, when I was stationed overseas in Australia, I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with my Aussie (pronounced “Ozzie,” FYI) friends and neighbors. They were a fun bunch of folks and I found myself drawn to their favorite things such as darts, rugby, and of course their Emu Export Lager beer.
Aussies are a superstitious bunch. When my first wife was pregnant with my oldest daughter Krystal back in 1988, my Aussie friends had plenty of superstitious advice for her. Two of my favorites were:
- Don’t hang your clothes on the clothesline to dry. If you do, the baby will be born with the umbilical cord twisted around her neck.
- Drink a bottle of castor oil to start your labor.
Well, we had a dryer, so we were ok on the first one. The second one resulted in nothing more than an epic case of diarrhea. One night, my Aussie neighbor’s wife was using a Ouija board with a bunch of her friends. He came over to get me and we snuck around the back of the house and began throwing rocks on the metal roof of his house to scare them into thinking Satan had landed on the roof. They ran out of the house screaming.
Superstitions are funny things. In Stevie Wonder’s song, he makes light of people’s beliefs in superstitions. Things like the number 13, broken mirrors, and ladders. Superstitions might make us feel safer and more comfortable, but what if they prevent us from doing something new and innovative?
Stevie Wonder summed it up correctly I believe with this key lyric of his song:
“When you believe in things that you don’t understand, Then you suffer. Superstition ain’t the way”
Believing in things we don’t understand is nothing more than fear. Or laziness. This week, think about what superstitions you are holding onto.
Are they valid?
How do they impact you?
Are you ready to face them and potentially let them go?
I’ve let go of several of my superstitions over the last couple of years. It was very uncomfortable at first, but after a while, I felt more confident, intelligent, and relaxed. I wonder if you’ll have the same experience?
What are your superstitions?