Like every Asian household, shoes needed to be off when I entered the front door — sometimes, outside the door, if my mother had just vacuumed and mopped (ah, yes, certified clean freak). And every time I took off my shoes and accidentally left them upside down, my mother would yell, “Haram!” and quickly adjust them. This really confused me as a kid; the word “haram” has many meanings, and I never thought an upside-down shoe could be one of them. I heard “haram” while being yelled at when I didn’t finish the food on my plate or if I yelled at my brother for something stupid. That made sense to me. But shoes? Not so much. That’s just one of the many Arab superstitions I picked up on over the years. And now, as a soon-to-be 20-year-old, I rush to adjust any pair of shoes that are upside down (I can’t help it; it’s drilled into my brain).
I don’t consider myself a clumsy person. Once in high school, I dropped my (just purchased) Dunkin’ coffee all over my front door. I was pissed. My mother was happy and hit me with the “kher Inshallah” (good news, God willing). So, spilling coffee means good news is coming. A few days later, I was accepted into Stevens. Coincidence? Probably. On the bright side, I never get mad over spilled coffee anymore.
The first time I spent New Year’s Eve in Lebanon was with my little brother and grandmother in our tiny apartment. My grandmother picked out a few old pieces of glassware and set them aside for us. Like the Greeks, Lebanese people believe that smashing old glassware symbolizes leaving the past behind and warding off any evil. Then, when the clock struck midnight, we all went outside and threw all the glassware from our balcony. Mind you, the entire street was filled with apartments like ours, so it was just glasses flying from every balcony in every direction. My brother and I stayed outside to watch, even after our grandmother yelled at us to get back inside. I’m still shocked that we came out with zero injuries.
And, of course, how could I forget Nazar (AKA the evil eye)? I’m a little iffy on this one. I used to believe in it, or at least wanted to because it looked so cool, especially as jewelry. But some people take it too far. They think everyone (including, but not limited to, their father, mother, sister, cousin, neighbor, and the neighbor’s dog) is jealous of them. And because I’ve found these people so insufferable, I’ve slowly distanced myself from it all. I guess you can choose what superstitions you believe in.
