I was staying with a friend while she was expecting her first child. We had had similar troubles staying pregnant, and I was there for moral support while she navigated through another pregnancy.

Everything became about superstitions, as if these patterns and rituals would finally get her the child she craved. I am superstitious, but over a few weeks, I did anything, even if I thought it was ridiculous, only to make my friend comfortable. It didn’t matter whether I believed it or not. I spat three times and turned around twice, or made sure I never placed new shoes on a table again.

I had purchased my child some new clothes and placed the bags on the kitchen table. As we rummaged through my purchases, her face went pale. She then launched a box of Stride Rite shoes toward the kitchen floor. I didn’t know that putting new shoes on a table is considered bad luck.

I was aware that putting dirty shoes, especially shoes with feet in them, on a table wasn’t polite. I didn’t think it would be wrong to place an unused pair on the counter. As I unwound the fear I unknowingly caused, I wondered how such a myth had been perpetuated.

My understanding is her superstitions stemmed from her Welsh family, though I’ve since heard the same myth from people of various backgrounds. Though there is no true source, one consistent story focuses around mining communities. Bad luck followed anytime a person placed shoes or boots on a table. Before mass footwear production, a person may have owned just one pair of shoes. The wear and tear of those shoes was individual to the shoe’s owner. If someone came into the house and placed shoes on a table, the family knew a tragedy had occurred, and bad luck would follow.

Once I understood the fear, I did everything I could to make her comfortable. It didn’t matter if I believed the myth or not. It was enough to support a friend.

Plus, placing dirty shoes on a table is unhygienic. No one needs shoes where we eat. I can’t even imagine the amount of sick and yuck clinging to the bottom of our shoes. I’m not sure if bad luck came my way after the shoe mishap, but my friend does have two children now.

What superstitions or traditions do you favor? Good luck!