Not Very Superstitious December 5, 2009
As the title may suggest, I’m not the most superstitious of people. I don’t really believe in good luck, or bad luck, or mystic symbols that predetermine your life.
Or do I?
When I was a young boy I hated the white spot in my hair, because I often got teased on the “Big Toy” (shout out to anyone from George White Elementary) for looking like an old man. I took a pair of those elephantine Fiskers and tried to snip the little oval of white off of my head. Unbeknownst to me at the time, doing this in the mirror takes more coordination and spatial thinking than a six year old is usually capable of. Try it yourself if you think I lie! My little mind didn’t realize how futile trying to cut out something that would just grow back was, so eventually I gave up and my frustration steamed out of me like a thin vapor.
Over the years my hatred of this separating mark turned into a sort of appreciation. Maybe this was one of the stepping stones in my life helping me to accept things I can’t change, or to look at the world more positively? Regardless, I realized that just because my mark signified difference, it didn’t mean it was a negative difference. In fact, I became aware that my white hair is a fateful mark.
Now, don’t go thinking I’m some kinda crazy hippy. Well….I sort of am….but hear me out. That very same playground insult from second grade was actually a compliment—though seven year olds lack the foresight to see this. Besides setting me apart as a representation of my uniqueness, I also like to think my white spot is an indicator of wisdom beyond my time. If I was Hindu, I might claim that my reincarnation was somewhat botched.
Anyway, just thought I’d share these notions with you…I hadn’t really thought of myself critically this way until college. Being an English major (I don’t need to do Music…I’m already doing it haha), I’m doing so much close analysis of theme and symbolism that I can’t help but let it spill into my real life. I know in reality that having a lack of pigmentation in my scalp doesn’t directly affect anything…but if I were a character in a novel or a song, you’ve gotta know that the writer decided to give me a white streak for a reason.
To tie it all up I thought I’d add this badass video of Stevie Wonder playing Superstition on Sesame Street. Play me out, Stevie!
Posted by nicky on in News, Nicky P
Tagged with: , hair, supserstition, symbolism, white spot
