The Most Common Superstition in Colorado

Every year, there is at least one Friday the 13. Typically, when one is near or has just passed, my girls and I have conversations about superstitions. They both think I am very superstitious, and perhaps I am.

We’ve talked about not taking a ring off someone else’s finger. I’d heard it was bad luck. I think my grandmother told us that, so maybe that’s where I get it from.

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Some superstitions are centered around good luck and some are around bad.

People believe in lucky horseshoes. Some people believe that luck stays in them if they hang their heels up. A lucky rabbit’s foot is another belief for good luck, unless, of course, you are the rabbit.

Others believe it’s luck to have a ladybug land on you or to find a four-leaf clover. I’ve looked for four-leaf clovers many times, and I think I’ve only found a total of five.

My sister has a belief that bad luck comes in threes, and evidently, that belief is quite common. According to the Visualistan website, it's one of the five most common superstitions in America. It's one of the five most common superstitions in America. People in the state I grew up in believe owls are bad luck omen. What if you see three owls together? Does that compound the bad luck? Colorado’s most popular superstition is that Friday the 13^th is a sign of bad luck, although, for me Friday the 13^th is usually a really good day.

I can remember spilling salt at the dinner table, and my mom making sure to take a pinch and throw it over her shoulder to ward off bad luck. Again, perhaps maybe all these superstitions have been passed down to me through my family tree.

We were told not to walk under ladders, and not to open umbrellas inside. My youngest daughter had a Halloween costume a few years ago that included an umbrella. She kept insisting on opening the umbrella in our house, and I kept telling her that if she wanted to open it, she should go outside.

I’m sure everyone has heard that breaking a mirror causes bad luck and knocking on wood is to bring good luck, or in essence, keep bad luck away.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve crossed my fingers. I’ve wished upon countless stars, thrown coins in wishing wells, and blown the white fluff from many dandelions in hopes of having some dreams come true.

People believe in finding lucky pennies. I think finding money of any kind is pretty lucky.

The last Friday the 13, I found a lucky penny, so I bought a lottery ticket. Shortly after buying the lottery ticket, a black cat ran in front of my car. My ticket was not a winner. I guess the good luck was canceled out by the bad. Maybe my girls are right.