Superstition: Eyelashes

Informant:

D.N.  was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri as the fifth of eleven children living under his mother and father. He is one of nine boys and two girls, and played several sports in high school where he eventually matriculated to USC. He studied engineering and now works as a real estate developer living in Palos Verdes Estates, California with my mother. He has three sons, and I am the youngest of the three.

Folklore:

“My mother was full of superstitions and rituals. I’m not sure if it was just our family, but whenever one of us lost an eyelash…. She would immediately grab it and put it on the back of our fist and say ‘Make a wish!’ I’m not sure if any of my wishes truly came true, but it became a habit that I still practice to this day… Whenever I find an eyelash of mine, I immediately put it on my hand, make a wish, and blow it away.”

Analysis:

I didn’t realize that I inherited this from my father and grandmother, but I regularly do this as well. I also encourage my friends to do the same. It seems that some part of me feels incomplete if I have a shed eyelash and I don’t make the wish… It almost feels like I’m holding in a sneeze. Superstition, rituals, and customs… whatever you choose to call them… are very powerful.