Showing posts with label ladders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ladders. Show all posts

Friday, October 4, 2013

Superstitions


by Judith Ashley
Sarah and I sat down in August and brainstormed ideas for our 2014 monthly Genre-ista topics or prompts as well as ideas for our Saturday Highlight Contributors. I also have a paper monthly calendar I write these ideas on once we finalize them. I like the idea of picking something up and in mere seconds being able to find the information – so much easier and faster for me than scrolling around on my phone or clicking around on the computer.
What does this have to do with the topic of Superstitions? Three things…
One: I didn’t look at my calendar much less the list in the Files section of the Romancing The Genres yahoo group so I wrote a whole blog post on “Near Death Experiences” – and I published it. If I hadn’t looked at my calendar and noticed Robin Weaver’s title, you may have read that instead of this.
Two: My excuse is we came up with this topic last year. How was I supposed to remember?
Three: At some point in the annals of time, something happened that gave rise to what seems to be superstitious to us today (or in the more recent past). If you read yesterday's post by Bronwen Evans on wedding superstitions you can see the reasoning behind those traditions/superstitions.
Do I pay close attention to the cracks in the sidewalk? Sometimes – often the crack signals unevenness in the pavement. It is easy enough to stub your toe on one of them and fall.
Do I pay attention to ladders and walk around them? Yes – because ladders are a sign that something is going on over my head. I’m rather protective of that part of my body. I don’t need hammers, buckets, bricks, etc. falling on me.

One thing I do pay attention to is that particular feeling I get that tells me something isn’t quite right. In my younger more daring days I sometimes ignored it or thought I was capable of dealing with the situation. Sometimes that was true and I did bluff my way through – other times it wasn’t and I paid a physical price.
When you think of superstitions, can you figure out why they began? I’m interested to hear your thoughts.
© 2013 Judith Ashley
www.FreeReadsFromTheGenre-istas.blogspot.com