Things I Avoid and Do, and Just Let Them Happen

My superstitions

There are probably tons of superstitions in the world.

I have heard of many throughout my life.

I don’t freak out if I or someone doesn’t follow some of them.

Here are my seven superstitions.

#1 Do not clip your nails at night

I don’t know why. I guess you probably don’t want to clip your nails too deep while it is dark in older days. I don’t know when nail clippers were invented. Does it have to do with the timeline of the existence of electricity or the light bulb?

I searched online. It says the light bulb was invented (1879) after a nail clipper was patented in 1875 (in the U.S.).

Anyway, I avoid clipping my nails at night.

#2 Leave some space open on your bookshelves

I’m not sure if it is superstition or not, but what I heard was this: do not stack your bookshelves full of things, and leave some space open; so new ideas or learning opportunities can come to you.

It is like a notion that a cleaner space provides you with a better place to work or live.

I guess it is a pretty logical thing, so I do it. When there are too many things on the shelves, they become harder to clean. Not only do clouds of dust accumulate day after day, but also you lose the space to put new books or other things.

Yeah, so there is no space to align a new book, even if you want to. You can throw it on the top of it. Sure, you can. But, I guess the point is to keep literally a space open. When you have many things, it is hard to do. So, in my case, even if it is a tiny space that I can make, I try to make it.

#3 Toilet/bathroom and income

I heard to keep the toilet clean so money can come to you. And the place you clean your body as well. Also, place something that is golden or yellow. I try to keep it clean, and I have placed a tiny golden color four-leaf clover in my bathroom. I did not buy it for this purpose as I just had it.

I heard if your toilet is separated from a shower room, hang a masculine picture/drawing besides adding a yellow thing.

I wonder if that is why I saw a masculine-like picture in a public toilet. When I traveled to France with my mom, and we went to the Palace of Versailles, we saw a small printed drawing of Napoleon on a horse in a public toilet. It was another good memory of the travel, and my mom and I talked about it even after we came home and years later.

#4 Do not open your umbrella inside

Like Ellie Jacobson says in her article, I try not to open an umbrella indoors.

But, someone told me about that superstition; it is not for home. I only needed to avoid it at stores or at a business.

But I still try not to open it indoors.

#5 Do not put your bag on the floor

Compared to the other four above, I heard it recently, about two years ago.

Do not place your handbag on the ground or floor. And, she told me not just a handbag but my PC bag also. According to her, it is bad luck. Since then, I have avoided doing it. I guess there is a good reason for it — in terms of practicing good hygiene.

#6 Seeing certain animals is a sign of good luck

I was sort of knowing it, but through Penelope Mayfield’s article (it is about her phobia though), it reminded me, butterfly. It seems that other people also associate good luck with a butterfly.

I’m not sure how I would practice it. But I guess months ago when I put my finger next to the legs of a butterfly and let it climb onto my finger was a super lucky moment then.

I also heard seeing a sea turtle means good luck. I did see one, a baby one, in Hawaii about a decade ago while I was sitting on a SUP board, floating on the sea. If you have bumped into my humor article, you may know this. My PC wallpaper is a sea turtle swimming in the ocean.

#7 Lucky number 7

Since the number 7 is considered a lucky number, I am trying to end this article with #7.

I guess it is completely my thing. I had been doing it for close to a decade, but I stopped doing it a few years ago. And only a few months ago, I started doing it again.

What do I do?

Cleaning the side and sole of my shoes when I come back from outside. No huge cleaning is involved. I just wipe them with a bit of soap, sanitizer, or just warm water. I feel good when they are clean. Better luck? Things go smoothly? I guess.

Probably 1) I feel great after going out for a walk, and 2) the shoes are cleaned, meaning I care about my shoes and good hygiene.

So this is just my superstition.

The List of My Superstition

#1 Do not clip your nails at night

#2 Do not fill up your bookshelf, keep some space open

#3 Toilet/bathroom and income

#4 Do not open your umbrella inside

#5 Do not put your bag on the floor

#6 Seeing certain animals is a sign of good luck

#7 Lucky number 7 — and cleaning my shoes

Thanks for reading!

This is in response to a writing prompt:

And here is the latest super short story (2 min read) of the Fish & Buddy: