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The shades of years past watch us.We, of the modern age, stumble and bumble our way,
sure of our sophistication and education.
But what if there are principles of which we are unaware that take no notice of our ignorance of them ...
only chastise us when we break them.
After all, gravity takes no breaks ...
it only gives them
Take "First Foot,"
a custom concerning the first visitor of the New Year to a home.
His function is to bring prosperity and good fortune for the ensuing 12 months to those he visits.
He comes just as soon as possible after midnight, bringing gifts which symbolize plentiful food, health, and wealth. Sometimes he carries an evergreen branch as a symbol of continuing life.
Strict rules govern the choice of First Foot:
Male always for he symbolizes the New Year.
No redheads need apply.
The luckiest representative is a dark-haired stranger, symbolizing a new year full of undiscovered mysteries.
An old form of First Foot has the visitor entering silently, greeted by none.
He goes straight to the hearth, laying the evergreen branch on the fire and a sprig of mistletoe on the mantle above.
Then, he turns and greets those living in the home, and festivities ensue.
I wonder what thought first visited the homes of our minds last year?
Did it symbolize the atmosphere, the temper of our thoughts for the remaining 12 months?
What thought do you think should first visit your mind this New Year? What First Foot will be your physical first visitor?
Can you remember who first entered your home last January? Did he or she reflect the luck and temper of the following 12 months?
Just thought it would be fun to think on these questions, Roland
I don't think anyone entered my home last January. Maybe my landlord. I don't get a lot of company. :)
ReplyDeleteMe either. I keep hoping for Scarlet Johansson, but so far my hopes have been in vain!! :-)
DeleteHappy New Year!
For us, it was a health care worker coming to meet hubs, and to give me respite time. That person has been with us all this year and has worked well, doing little extras and using his experience to bring hubs out of his frustration and depression, common maladies for those who suffer medical trauma. It was a hard year in my estimation.Some things improved, some became a bit worse. I don't believe this sort of superstition (that others can determine our fortune) too much, but a friend of mine married to a Japanese man says that her husband's family always had the males enter first, then the women on the first day of the year. . .that would likely give me indigestion. . .Happy New Year Roland, you do like to make us think, which is good.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked my post. Hate that your husband's health problems have been so hard on the two of you. I have experience with that with my own mother.
DeleteI just wanted to give my friends a bit of color and myth to take their minds off the hectic flow of these last days.
I am currently doing blood runs in rain so bad that I cannot see past my hood with the water half-way up my hub-caps!!
Ouch!!!
You have the wet stuff, we do too but it's white snow right now. Take care in your blood runs.
Delete