Friday the 13th: Real or Superstition?

Happy Friday everyone! Even though its not technically the 13th, I wanted to talk about the popular superstition Friday the 13th 😱 Like many superstitions, Friday the 13th has been known to strike fear in a majority of people for many reasons. Just like crossing paths with a black cat, walking under a ladder, opening an umbrella indoors, or breaking a mirror, Friday the 13th is associated with fear and bad luck. Numbers hold a lot of weight in society, the number 12 for instance, is associated with completeness and perfection-12 months of the year, 12 zodiak signs, 12 days of Christmas, 12 Apostles, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 gods of Olympus- mathematicians have even established a numeral system based on the number 12, that is still used to measure time today. The number 13 however, is known for causing imbalance and chaos in the Universe. Some of the reasons the number 13 is considered unlucky comes from an ancient Norse lore which holds that Loki, the god of treachery and mischievousness, was the 13th guest at a dinner party who brought evil and turmoil into the universe by upsetting the balance of the 12 gods already in attendance. Judas Iscariot was also the 13th guest to arrive at the last supper, who later betrayed Jesus. While this irrational fear surrounding the number 13 is mostly a western construct, it holds some weight as many people avoid their normal routines on this day. Businesses show a drastic reduction in sales on Friday the 13th and airlines experience a drop in passengers, as many people refuse to travel or even leave their houses on this day. Though accidents happen on every day of the year, whether its the unlucky 13th day or not, many people believe that an accident is inevitable. In years past there have been plane crashes, cruise ship capsizes, deadly storms, fires, and even grizzly murders on this particular day; but along with every belief comes a group of counter believers. The secret society known as the Thirteen Club purposely faces this well-known superstition head on by hosting events surrounding the number 13, while also engaging in other activities like walking under a ladder just to show that these beliefs are based purely on superstition. Do you believe in the superstition surrounding Friday the 13th? Have you experienced freaky things on this day or changed your usual routine to avoid this day? Share your stories and thoughts surrounding this ominous day!