Superstitions & Urges

Good Morning,

 Last Friday was my sisters 66th birthday.  I suppose that when your birthday is on the 13th you have to expect that it will also be on a Friday.  I don’t think Karen ever had the mindset to be superstitious and therefore would have remained unaffected by the coincidence.  That is probably a good thing, as I know of some people who would be “bummed out” if their birthday were on such a day.   I find it funny sometimes how people will alter what they do and even change travel plans based on superstition.  Ever wonder how many people won’t fly on Friday the 13th?  Nothing new really, but interesting just the same, as I have seen people let the coincidences of numbers make business decisions.  I have worked with one.  Scary, but I guess you have to believe in something, so for them there must be a higher power setting all of this up and sending it’s message via numbers, mainly repetitious ones at that.  There is something to think about, as it could be a whole new religion, although I suspect it already exist somewhere.  Numerology maybe?

 So on another note… and some may find this just as strange… I have “an urge”, I think that is the right word, (I would prefer that one over “a compulsion”, as compulsion implies mental issues far worse than urges do), anyhow, to free the marbles from spray paint cans.  Ok, that even sounds a bit weird as “free” implies that they were put there against their will.  Understand that I do not believe that marbles have a “will”, but then again, if they did… I don’t think I would like being sealed up in a can and shook around in the darkness, while being immersed in solutions containing petroleum anymore that you would.  So yesterday while at the shop, I took the time and opened 25 spray cans that I had been saving for the special occasion and to satisfy the “urge”.  Anyway… I do remember as child doing this to get at the marble inside after my dad had emptied a can or two and when marbles had value for trading with my friends.  Now that I think about it more, I think my dad showed me how to do it without getting paint all over me or cut and bleeding in the process, thereby satisfying an adolescent curiosity. 

 I suppose that along with this comes a desire to know just what kind of marble you will find.  After all, like many other things in this life, you never really know until you do it.  I seem to recall that the marbles years ago were prettier and some even had designs inside like stars.  Today, they are mostly solid colors and I suspect most are even made in China like so many other things.  Still, I enjoy doing it when I find the time, as it takes me back, if for just a moment to those halcyon days of my youth when marbles were important, life was simpler and every day was a new adventure.

 I don’t wish to be back there, but I do enjoy the memories just the same. 

 Love, Dad

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