The Mystery, Fear, and Conquering the Number 13
- Sep 13, 2019
- 4 min read
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What is it with the number 13? For reasons that most of us aren’t aware of, this number is surrounded by mystique and even fear. For children entering that first year of being a teenager, the number can seem ominous and a little nerve-wracking. For seniors in high school entering that next phase of their lives, freshman year at college becomes “Grade 13”. For those going right into the workforce after high school, their next year becomes the big toe dip into adulthood.
Rest assured, Enter13 is the site you need to navigate these next steps into adulting with confidence rather than anxiety or uncertainty. Let’s explore some of the mystery behind the number 13 and pick apart the superstitions.
Number 13 Superstitions
First of all, if you’re wary of the number 13, you’re not alone. In fact, this fear has a scientific name: triskaidekaphobia. Some historical moments involving the number 13 have been influential enough to push superstitions into the modern western world. For example, you might notice in elevators that many buildings don’t have a 13th floor. Or hotels won’t have a room 13. And let’s not forget the cult-hit horror movie Friday the 13th. So why all the drama? Here are some historically notorious bad-luck signs that surround this number:
Apollo 13, the failed NASA mission in 1970, departed earth at 13:13, and its explosion occurred on April 13th.
According to the bible, there were 13 people present at the Last Supper where Judas infamously betrayed Jesus, leading to his crucifixion.
Names that contain 13 letters are believed to be cursed. Some of the most notorious 13-letter names are Osama bin Laden, Joseph Stalin, Charles Manson, and Saddam Hussein.
Number 13 Positive Vibes
While many not-so-good people are associated with the number 13, there are also plenty of celebrities and famous people who were born on the 13th, like Taylor Swift - and no one can claim that she’s unlucky. According to internet legend, Taylor has quite the connection with the number 13 and even sometimes draws it on her hands before performances for luck. And that’s not all, here’s a link to all of the good connected to Taylor and the number 13:
So, the number 13 isn’t all bad. In fact, it’s a lucky number in many cultures.
In China where it symbolizes growth and vibrancy. Hindus and Buddhists also embrace the number 13.
In ancient Greece, Zeus was the thirteenth and the most powerful God of the Greek mythology. Thus, 13 symbolizes incorruptible nature, power and purity.
In Thailand, the New Year is celebrated on the 13th of April. As part of the celebration people splash water on each other to wash away bad omens.
The Reality
The fact is, any fear around the number 13 is based on myths that some people have just let get the best of them. I am challenging my readers to choose the other option. In tarology, this card designates a metamorphosis. It brings with it the beginning of a new era and marks the start of a transition. It is read as a death, but in the sense that this death leads to a rebirth. With this in mind, the 13th is seen as a positive tarot card bubbling with the possibility of enhancing your good luck and the chance to seize a new opportunity.
Enter “Enter13”
This is where my new blog “Enter13” comes in…
So many people struggle with adulthood, and we constantly hear people saying, “that really needs to be taught in high school”. Well, it wasn’t, and now there’s a gap.
For students entering into grade 13, it’s not a year to be afraid of, but one that’s meant for excitement, change, and taking the first steps into adulthood.
I have a secret to share with you new high school graduates… there are people out there, including myself, long finished with high school who still don’t know how to do things, but now it’s been so long that they are afraid to ask the questions. It would be embarrassing and humiliating for them to admit they didn’t learn something years ago, so they blindly muddle through and pretend they know what they are doing. A lot of times, they don’t.
Enter13 is a place to learn these basic lifeskills. Please join the forum so that you can ask your questions without fear of judgement, and offer answers to other readers in the community when you are the one with the expertise.
The goal of Enter13 is to make it easier for readers to navigate adulting with confidence rather than anxiety or uncertainty.
It is a site for anyone to pick up some nuggets of information so that they can be less likely to learn the hard way about finances, social interactions, political implications, even day-to-day tasks such as cooking, cleaning and shopping.
My hope is that the community we create here at Enter13 will believe in the positivity and the luck of the number 13 and be open to the metamorphosis and change in the next stage in our lives.
Good luck -- and happy Friday the 13th!
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