Superstition or Common Sense?

Why is "common sense" so rare? This was a question posed to me by Son earlier today. At first, I thought he was just making a play on words but in retrospect, what he asked is indeed a valid question. Common sense these days is a rare commodity..this has been proven to me time and time again. It is just not there with some folks. Take the economy, for instance. It stands to reason that if the economy is so bad, then stock up on nonperishable foodstuffs. I am not touting stockpiling of enough to last forever, simply enough to pull you through a hard time..a skipped paycheck..or just a bout of overspending (think Christmas spending). This in itself would be "common sense". Still, that is not bound to happen with most folks so I am beating my head against a brick wall just blathering about it. All of this got me pondering about some of the old superstitions that I have heard since I was a child. A couple stood out as being far more practical than not. There is one that states.."The New Year must not be seen in with bare cupboards." This is not a superstition! This is common sense! Why let the cupboards ever get bare in the first place? It just makes more sense to have at least a bit of food on hand. My goodness! What if you get hungry and need a midnight snack? According to folklore though, this "topping off the larder" is done as an assurance of prosperity in the coming year and of warding off want. Just to be on the safe side, I shelled out a bunch of pecans. These are to be canned tomorrow and added to the "larder"! Another superstition states.."Make sure to accomplish a task as that will set the pace for the coming year." There is another that says.."Limit your workload on the first day of the New Year." It seems that a heavy task filled day will be highly unlucky! Something tells me that these two contradict each other but who am I to question. I pondered this while deciding what chores to accomplish today. Aha! The shelling of pecans is both a leisurely yet productive task! I've got those two superstitions covered!

Some of the shelled pecans that are drying in preparation for canning!

Then there are a few that well..just can't be followed. One in particular stands as highly impractical! "Nothing goes out..let nothing leave the house before something else comes into the door." This is to make sure that it will be a year of pluses. It goes back to that prosperity thing..that the more you have, the better off you are. (hmmm? I am not sure if that stands to reason as I have far too much stuff already! I do not need more!) Regardless, this superstition just cannot be obeyed! Why may you ask? Remember..I have a dog. A very large dog and when Ms. Ez says she has to go..the door will be opened! Of all mornings, this "I gotta go" occurred just about daybreak and I could not figure out just how to get something inside before she had to go. So...I suppose that superstition has just "gotta go"!

Ms. Ez posing for the camera!

Anyway, I seem to have followed some of these today even if I tend to look upon them as more common sense than superstitions. I did accomplish a pending task but at a leisurely pace. I did stock the larder to ward off any want. Son and I did eat the "lucky" blackeyed peas and a bit of the "money-bringing" cabbage but we also ate the "unlucky" chicken! Did you know that you were not supposed to eat poultry on New Year's Day? This belief holds that to do so will bring you to poverty because like the bird in question, you will always be scratching in the dirt for your dinner. Another hmmmmm? I garden..don't I always scratch in the dirt for my dinner? And without scratching in the dirt, would I be able to fully stock my larder? Just asking....superstition or common sense?