Fooled ya, Gullible is Good

April is a month known for showers and the calling of Spring to really kick in. The first day is also known for shenanigans. The starting point of this holiday came from the French in 1582 when they went from using the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. The day was 'celebrated' by displaying how citizens were gullible.

The definition of being gullible is being easily persuaded to believe in something. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as every culture and tradition that we have and celebrate come from a belief in something. Societies are built around a unified idea and building a community and/or dream. Everyone needs to put faith in a position/opinion. Some fun and/or intriguing superstitions have been born out of these persuasions.

One of the most well-known superstitions is that breaking a mirror leads to bad luck. The origin came from Ancient Rome. Romans believed that mirrors held pieces of your soul. When you broke a mirror, it was the same as damaging your soul. As time grew and people learned more and more about the human body, the hypothesis of your body renewing every seven years became known. This new piece of information added to when breaking a mirror it was seven years of bad luck while your body was renewed.

We all know after a sneeze we are to immediately reply "Bless you" or "God Bless You". The logical origin was during the bubonic plague Pope Gregory I advised to say a short prayer, Bless you, to protect one from death. In modern times another way to respond to a sneeze was by saying "Gesundheit", the German word meaning 'healthy-hood' or wishing the person who sneezed good health.

Some top-notch performers make a start in showbiz by performing live. Prior to going on the stage, it is common courtesy for others to say "Break a leg!" This is not wishing bad health or bad luck to the person. Quite the opposite! The phrase comes from stage terminology. A stage's 'leg line' divides the spot where an audience sees entertainers. If you are behind the leg line, you were behind the scenes/curtain. To wish someone to break a leg meant they would cross over the leg line of the stage, be seen, and have their opportunities grow in showbiz.

The last superstition we will discuss come from ancient Greece. I cannot think of a person who when younger did not have candles to blow out on their birthday cake. Why do we do this? The Greeks created the tradition of baking cakes that were topped off with candles. When a person blew out the candle they would send their wish or message to the smoke. The smoke would rise, grabbing Artemis' attention (the goddess of moods) and be said to ask her the favor.

No matter if you put any weight on superstitions or participate because they are fun traditions to be included in, you have interacted with a culture. With each Nationality come different superstitions and actions to be mindful of. Is burping out loud after eating considered rude or not? Depends on where you are. The fun is learning, sharing, and acquiring different customs so that we can grow and interact with one another. It shows a sign of interest in a person and trying to make a small part of their life a part of yours. An Otter Milestone honors those differences and enjoys spreading points-of-views and finding understanding and peace within them.