I always struggle the first few months of a new year, and I think of the months leading to Spring and Summer as trial and tribulation and Year 2012 has not disappointed. I withdraw, become pensive, and focus more on things on the darker side of the Sun. Time to start snapping out of it now that May is about to hit us with Summer close behind.
On 06/17/2007, I authored a post here about there being no stupid in intuition. In that post I alluded much to the dragonfly (DF) and one would probably think that the DF is lucky for me. When I see the first DF of the season, I am typically uplifted as I know many more will follow. I know someone that can walk outside, look down, and if there is clover present, she'll come up with at least one 4-leaf every single time. In my entire life, I've never found a 4-leaf clover, but I have a whole book of them found by someone who walks through life kicking them aside.
The truth is that we tend to know "better luck" when we identify with an object or symbol that we believe to hold good fortune for us. The Chinese are masters of this, with their colors, symbols, coins, etc. At the same time, the Chinese also hold some of the greatest beliefs about that which is unlucky to downright sinister. Bad jos, I believe, is one way of putting it.
I was recently at an outdoor flea market and while at a table that featured, coincidentally, items China-related, there was a sudden flurry of raised voices and movement, and what turned out to be a large black snake turned up to say hello. There was the usual panic, curiosity, disregard, and then the gentleman, whose wife is an expert on all things slithering, simply picked up the interloper and placed it out of harm's way. Snakes certainly draw strong opinions. For the Chinese, the snake is not favored highly in most circles, believed to symbolise intrigue, deception, sexuality, death, ... Snakes also have their own phobic-following in humans and I've witnessed this firsthand in several people.
And my take on snakes? Well many feast on rats and mice (think fleas, plague), and the health of soil, as I understand it, can be monitored by tracking snakes indiginous to a particular area. I respect snakes with teeth, fear and tread carefully for snakes of venom, and try to avoid bringing harm to them where I can. Truth be told, I actually see snakes as lucky. I have a feeling I'm in the minority.
My point would be that symbols of luck are where you find and associate them in your mind and heart, and sometimes there is no logic behind it. Is it superstition? No, superstition is born of ritual belief, handed down, time-honored, and most importantly is not personal. Everyone shares the superstition, but not everyone finds the DF or the snake or the color yellow lucky. Superstition bears the imprint of fear and sometimes worse in its makeup. That which we feel brings us good favor rarely is associated with fear.
So, can a lucky symbol turn unlucky? Ask anyone in professional sports to divulge on individual players, and their take will convince you that yes, lucky symbols lost or fouled can indeed influence luck to come. It is always possible for a belief to become so ingrained that it takes on a life of its own. But, don't we do this in real life as well? We believe because we have "lost" in love or work or even the lottery today that tomorrow our luck will follow that trend. A symbol of luck that we choose should stand to remind us that luck will find us again and we should seek it out and relish the opportunity.
My wish would be today that all things lucky find their way to your door. J