Some people think that it’s just superstition that people get crazy during a full moon. Ask anyone who works in a classroom or in the Emergency Department, and they will tell you differently.
The supermoon of Sunday night and Monday no doubt will be mentioned today because superstitions, silly as they may seem, can be powerful stuff.
The superstitions of my youth included making a wish when I saw a hay truck (while simultaneously hitting my open palm with my fist), cooties, and the evil eye.
My nona taught me the evil eye when I was a little girl. I would deliver the Italian gesture (pinkie finger and index finger pointed at the recipient) with my most malevolent glare – my ability to curse was to be feared!
I evil-eyed my siblings. I evil-eyed the nuns in school. I even (when their backs were turned) evil-eyed my parents. No one, however, looked cursed. (Although my brother did have a nasty case of acne after I evil-eyed him nonstop for making fun of my tween obsession with the Tommy James song “Crimson and Clover.”)
I gave up the gesture, but kept the malevolent stare, which I now use to great effect as a parent.
Superstitions are everywhere.
We kiss for luck, cross fingers for luck, or wear a rabbit’s foot.
People fear black cats, walking under ladders and the number 13.
When an obstetrician told me that my son’s due date was Nov. 13, she was apologetic, but soothed me by saying that only 4 percent of babies are born on their due date. We celebrated his 12th birthday on Sunday, and he’s already excited for his next, when he will turn 13 on the 13th.
At least there’s no supermoon coming in 2017.
Michele Nuttle can be reached at mnuttle@ledgertranscript.com.