Summary

The author of the article, Mulan, experiences a mix of emotions and reflects on the power of thoughts and the choice one has over their feelings when Stefanie, an old friend, mistakenly wishes her a happy birthday two days in advance, triggering a superstitious belief that this may bring misfortune.

Abstract

Mulan receives an early birthday wish from her friend Stefanie, which conflicts with their shared superstition that such wishes bring bad luck. Initially upset, Mulan recalls a comment from Jennifer Dunne about managing emotions through the pause between feeling and speaking. Taking this advice to heart, Mulan responds to Stefanie calmly, only to learn that Stefanie's early congratulations were due to a mistaken date in her notebook. The incident leads Mulan to a realization about the control one has over their emotional reactions, likening thoughts to keys that can unlock either heaven or hell. Mulan emphasizes the importance of taking a moment to breathe and choose one's response in unexpected situations, acknowledging that while we can't always control how we feel, we often have a choice in the matter.

Opinions

Mulan believes in the superstition that wishing someone a happy birthday in advance can bring misfortune.
Stefanie's action of sending an early birthday message, despite knowing about the superstition, is seen as a potential deliberate act at first, which angers Mulan.
Jennifer Dunne's comment on managing words and emotions influences Mulan's reaction, emphasizing the value of a brief pause to prevent emotional escalation.
Mulan's initial anger transforms into relief upon realizing Stefanie's mistake was unintentional.
The author advocates for the idea that one's thoughts can lead to either negative or positive emotional states, akin to choosing between heaven and hell.
The article suggests that taking a deep breath before responding to unexpected events can significantly impact one's emotional experience.
Mulan concludes that individuals have the power to choose their feelings, at least frequently, implying that emotional responses are within one's control.

Superstition

My Superstition: Saying Happy Birthday to Someone in Advance Will Bring Misfortune

You have a choice for how you feel, even bad things happen

My Work ⋆ Canzler Photography with permission

My cell phone tickled — A message jumped in.

“Happy birthday, dear Mulan!”

When I saw the name of the sender, I was puzzled.

It was Stefanie — my old friend in Germany. We have celebrated our birthday together every year during study time. She must know that my birthday was in two days.

And wasn’t it she who told me that saying “happy birthday” in advance will bring misfortune to the person?

She took this superstition very seriously, so do I. She must be aware of this.

What’s wrong with her? Did she do it deliberately?

The more I thought about what she did to me, the angrier I got.

But hold on!

What a wonderful message did Jennifer Dunne leave on one of my posts?

“I can manage my words. Not so much the emotions. But that little break between feeling and speaking does help to keep things from escalating”.

Before I speak out, it’s better to take a break.

A few minutes later, I answered Stefanie with chosen words, but pointed out that she got the date of my birthday wrong.

Very soon she responded to me with a bunch of frightened emojis.

“I remember that your birthday was on the 29th, but in my notebook, it was on the 27th.

“MY NOTE WAS WRONG!”😱😱😱

I was relieved when I read the above message.

Heaven and hell are only within a flash of thought.

Your thoughts are like a key. Within a flash, you insert the key into the gate of hell, pain, and anger would overwhelm you; but if you insert it into the gate of heaven, you will calm down and feel peaceful.

Take a deep breath before you say anything when you encounter something unexpected!

You have a choice of how you feel, not always, but very often.

This story is in response to Sparks №10-Don’t Open That Indoors! by Ellie Jacobson.

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