<sup>Five Leaf Clover .. the fifth is ” MONEY! ”

The first is Hope</sup>

Luck Comes To Those Who Wait, or those who are lucky enough to find a four leaf clover and use it as good luck charm

I guess now would be a good time to explain my four-leaf clover charm.

When I was in Kindergarten, we were all assigned hooks outside of the classroom where we would hang our coat and backpack during the day. To distinguish these hooks, we each had a different symbol taped above it. Mine was a four-leaf clover.

A few days ago, Kim received an envelope in the mail with charms she planned on giving out as Christmas presents. Because it had shipped out late, the manufacturer stuck a few extra charms in there. One of the extra ones was a four-leaf clover. When I saw it, I was instantly reminded of my coat hook from Kindergarten. It was kind of strange because I haven’t thought about that in years. I started Kindergarten when I was five years old and now I’m seventeen, a senior in high school.

I asked Kim if I could keep the charm and she reluctantly gave it up after I told her why I wanted to have it. I plan on wearing it at my high school graduation because after all, that’s where it all started. With a four leaf clover. The symbol gave me luck when I started a new chapter in my life twelve years ago, and it will give me luck as I end it.

four leaf clover makes a great good luck gift idea

Everyone could use a bit of good luck in ase of emergency. How about a four leaf clover necklace

When my husband and I first became engaged, he warned me that a mysterious force called “The Sieghart Luck” followed him everywhere. Not being a natural born Sieghart, I was unfamiliar with this phenomenon, but after an explanation, I determined that “Murphy’s Law” had undergone a simple name change.  

You know Murphy. He the one who makes sure that if anything can go wrong, it will.  

I was raised somewhat superstitiously. We didn’t have to go as far as avoiding sidewalk cracks or midnight black cats, but my mom does have a list of bizarre happenings that are rumored to cause ill fortune. My mom and her friend used to be quite interested in psychics and having their fortunes told and once, when helping to clean out the “gone out of business” bookstore where I worked, I came across a box of tarot cards on the back of a shelf. The box was quite damaged, but the cards were intact and quite pretty, I thought and my boss told me to just take them home. I thought my mother would like them.  

She didn’t.  

After an inquisition as to how exactly I obtained them, she went fleeing into the night in her pajamas to remove the cards from our home. What she did with them, I don’t know, but I was told never to touch tarot cards that have “found” me. In order to avoid similar curses, we we were never allowed to play with Ouija boards, either.  

With the exception of the Ouija board thing that I just can’t seem to shake, I prefer to live on the wild side of superstitions. I don’t believe that a broken mirror will bring you any more misfortune than “The Sieghart Luck” or that the stem of a four leaf clover will point you to a magical, gleaming pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.  

Still, I do have to admit that “The Sieghart Luck” has been quite present, generally causing such harmless shenanigans as breaking the oven on a major holiday when twenty hungry people are sitting in my living room or taunting us with a quick pick lottery ticket bearing six numbers with each a single number away from the winning digits. I didn’t think much of it until “it” happened a few months back.  

I was out with friends one night, having a good time dancing when I caught the eye of an acquaintance. She had an eerie stare and an unexpected, indescribable feeling of dread seemed to overtake me for a second.  

Along with tarot card curses, I had heard stories of something that could cause one great harm…The Evil Eye. Some people, I suppose, were rumored to have this power and able to give a look that was capable of inflicting injury or bad luck for the person to whom it was directed. My Mexican relatives would call this “mal do ojo” and it’s serious business.  

I chose to forget about it, particularly since I don’t know any curanderos who could perform the appropriate elimination sweep, but since that time, even I have to admit that “The Sieghart Luck” has taken a turn for the worst. 

My daughter’s eating disorder had suddenly gained a tremendous amount of strength. While still emotionally reeling from having to take her to another treatment facility just the night before, I received a phone call that my son had been knocked unconscious in gym class and appeared to have sustained a pretty significant concussion. We came home from the hospital to find my dishwasher once again refusing to cooperate, my clothes dryer making a screeching noise and a pictureless TV.  

My world was out of control and since I don’t have time for a real one, I had a mini-nervous breakdown. This prompted my mother to purchase a lucky eye bracelet from the Home Shopping Network guaranteed to banish the Evil Eye curse that was bestowed upon me.  

Oddly, despite my non-belief in lucky amulets, it seemed to work the second I put it on. My daughter is doing quite well in treatment this time around and my son not only recovered from his head injury, his first diving meet of the season proved to be a record breaking one for him. Neither my husband nor I are what anyone would call “handy”, but we actually repaired all of the tag teaming appliances ourselves.  

I may have to re-think my position on superstitions. Either way, this bracelet isn’t coming off.  

Are you superstitious? What kinds of events or objects do you avoid? Have you ever seen “The Evil Eye”? (I’m still not certain that’s what it was, but it sure wasn’t pretty, I’ll tell you that.) Do you have a lucky charm? 

lucky charmis not just a cereal… it’s for good luck

”I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands better living, for my club, my community, and my country,” I said proudly. “That’s the 4-H pledge.”

“What’s 4-H?” my friend, Taylor, asked me curiously.

For the past year I’ve been telling my friend all about 4-H. 4-H is a program for young people ages nine to 21. I’m 11 years old, and I just finished my second year in the Chilliwack 4-H Dog Club. There are lots of different projects in 4-H. Clubs in the Chilliwack area include projects with beef, swine, dog, dairy, horse, rabbit, cavy, sheep and photography.

“I chose to join the dog club because I have always loved dogs,” I explained to Taylor. “Plus, I don’t live on a farm so you can imagine that I don’t have any cattle, and I’m sure the neighbours wouldn’t like pigs and horses in the yard!”

As a new member, it may seem overwhelming at first, but you will get to know all the other members by participating in club meetings and activities, and have a lot of fun. In my first year, I didn’t know what to expect, but the other members were great at helping me get used to things. My first club speech was nerve-racking but I did it, and during this year’s speech it was a lot easier to get up in front of my club. I even went on to compete at the district competition. I also did my first demonstration this year and went on to districts for that too. For demonstrations, two people team up to teach the audience something (like how to bake cookies).

“I’ve heard you talk a lot about fairs. What’s that all about?” Taylor asked me.

“We go to summertime fairs to compete against members from lots of other clubs with the same project, in the same level. My first fair was a little scary: the show ring, the judges and all the people. But at the same time, I loved it because I was doing what I’d seen all the dog people on TV do. I felt special and important as an exhibitor in the ring.” I smiled remembering the ribbons I’d won. With experience I’ve become more successful in all aspects of 4-H competition and any nervousness has now become excitement.

I’m not a senior member yet, but when I am, I will be able to earn Grade 11 and 12 course credits and apply for 4-H scholarships. If I stay in 4-H till I’m 20 years old, I could be a B.C. 4-H Ambassador.

Taylor’s interest was piqued: “That sounds awesome,” she exclaimed.

“I can see you’ve met a lot of new people and made a ton of friends. Maybe I should join. How can I do that?”

Those wanting to “get their green on,” can visit www.bc4h.bc for more information on 4-H clubs. (Why “get your green on”? November is 4-H month across Canada. The 4-H colours are green and white. The symbol is a green four-leaf clover with a white H on each leaf.)

? You can also call 604-858-6924 for leader contact information for local clubs.

© Copyright (c) Chilliwack Times

Now if this would turn the economy around….. everyone would be happy

Now .. good luck will follow….