Paraskevidekatriaphobia?!

Do you have Paraskevidekatriaphobia?  In other words, are you afraid of Friday the 13th? 

If you are, your are probably naturally "unlucky" anyway.  According to this article: 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2987934.stm

Psychologist Dr Richard Wiseman, who carried out the research, said: "Unlucky people tend to buy into negative superstitions, like having seven years bad luck after smashing a mirror.

"If you're one of these people, the fact that it's Friday the 13th could make you anxious and that will make you more likely to have accidents, drive less well, and perhaps find it harder to relate to other people.

"So your bad luck could be your own doing."

So, word to the wise:  Don't believe in all that bad karma out there..  It's just another day...  Or is it?  It's up to you!!!

This all reminds me of an incident that happened to me years ago.  A couple of friends of mine, invited me to go with them to see a "botanical, spiritual adviser"---in other words, a witch.  With nothing better to do, I decided to go.  It was interesting, to say the least. 

From the get go, upon entering the place, I got a bad feeling.  Not only did the "Botanical Store" smell strange, but, I just got this strange unexplainable feeling when I stepped inside.  One of my "friends" (I use this term loosely) had gone and sought counsel from the old woman inside, and thoroughly BELIEVED in her.  She wanted me and the other friend to sit down with her and be read because she thought we could also be "helped".  I honestly believe that what she really wanted was us to BELIEVE in this woman's hocus pokus as well.  All I could see in this old woman's eyes however were dollar signs...CHA CHING< CHA CHING..

I reluctantly however sat with this old woman, as she proceeded to read my cards.  Without getting too descriptive, she basically told me 2 things.  She told me that my ex-husband's girlfriend was very jealous of me, and had put a curse on mydaughter.  She went on to say that my daughter would become very difficult and rebellious and that I needed to break the cursebefore it got worse.  Of course the old woman said she would be able to break the curse very easily.  It would involve her physically going to my house, and blessing it.  But, she did not stop there..  She went on to say that my mother had problems with her legs because someone had placed an evil curse on her, and put the ingredients of the spell under a bush in my mother's front yard.  Of course, to break this curse, she would have to go to my mother's house as well.  All of this would cost me a mere $1,500.

Keep in mind that I did not tell her that I was divorced, nor did I tell her that my husband had a girlfriend.  Also, I did not reveal to her that my mother was experiencing pains in her legs either. 

For a moment there after my "reading" I sat there in the "lobby" thinking about what I was told.  My other friend, Linda was sitting there with me, and honestly, if she hadn't been there, I think I would have bought in to this woman's words.  I turned to her, and whispered, "$1,500?!  I can't afford that!"

Immediately, after saying this, way from across the room, I heard the old woman explain in Spanish:  "Tell your friend, that she can pay half now, and half later!"

I just froze. 

Before leaving the establishment, the old woman turned to me, and admired my silver earrings that my mother had given me from her recent trip to Portugal.  She went on to say, that perhaps, when I go there next summer, I could also bring her a pair.  Then, she went to tell me that there was a man in my life that would be in a serious accident.  This man drove a pickup truck.  She also told me that I would be involved with a man who had a tattoo on his shoulder, and that a girl I went to school with, who recently died, had "followed" me into the store.  Lovely. 

After the reading, we went to lunch.  The woman who invited us to see the woman took us to a lunch buffet, where we met another woman who was also a patron of the "witch."  They both recanted to me their experiences.  The other woman told me how the witch had "saved" her husband from depression, and helped him get work.  She also warned me that there was a man who came in to seek the witch, but ignored her warnings about an auto accident. A  week later, this daughter died in a serious accident.  I will not lie to you when I tell you that I did in fact write up a check that afternoon.  I gave it to the friend, and I told her to hold on to it.  I hadn't decided what to do, and she promised me that she would not give it to the witch until I made my decision. 

On the way home, Linda and I started to talk.  We went through the whole experience, and fortunately Linda talked me out of it.  Is was as if after leaving the botantical store, and away from the stories at the restaurant, the fog of doubt and fear rose off and lifted.  I was able to see everything for what it was, and it was almost laughable that I actually wrote that check.  I couldn't believe I was so gullible, and I was disappointed in myself.  Upon returning home, I ran immediately to the phone and called the friend who was holding the check that I had written.  I instructed her to rip it up in a million pieces.  She did rip it up, but I could tell that she was not happy with my decision.  She wanted me to believe that the witch could help me, just as much as she believed she was helping her.  I guess she thought that I thought she was crazy for believing, (yes, and I did) and to make a long story short, we stopped talking.  Linda told me that this friend paid the witch approximately almost $5,000--beyond what she was able to afford, and no, her life didn't change for the better--the man she wanted basically dumped her, and her problems, sadly just got bigger. 

If I want to bless my home, for a small donation, I can get a priest to do it.  Sure, my daughter was a little rebellious as a teenager, but most are.  And more importantly, no one would have, or could have put an evil spell on my mother and hid it under a bush!  And no, I never met a man with a tattoo on his shoulder, and I don't know who was the old classmate that died that followed me inside.  I however do have a friend who was in his pickup and was in a bad auto accident involving a flat bed truck..

Although, I do believe the "witch" did possess some psychic gifts, I think she used them in the wrong way.  The last I heard, she left her Botanical Store and ventured off to another town full of other people to manipulate. 

 Be careful what you do believe in!!