While sitting my foot starting itching ridiculously! The itch brought back childhood memories. Mom and her sisters had many sayings or old wives tales to suggest future events. You know, “if your nose itches, someone is talking about you.” “If you drop a fork on the floor, someone is coming to your house hungry.” If your hand itches, you’re going to come into money;” I should be wealthy by now. Anyway you get the point. I don’t know where these sayings come from. Is it geographical—such as a southern thing, is it a generational thing, or something else. In any case, I remember them all too well.

Back to the itchy foot! As a kid, mom often said that if your foot itches, either “you” or “someone”is going to die. Kids tend to take adult words literally and I did. I don’t remember my age, but I distinctly remember crying myself to sleep one night. My foot itched and all I could think about is what happens when a foot itches.

I took those words to heart and thought my last day on earth had arrived. Did I think to talk to my parents? No. Why not? I have no idea. I just remember crying myself to sleep because the bottom of my foot itched. Us parents really have to be more aware of what we say in front of our kids. They are listening–even when we think they are not.