Does it give you luck to kiss a slug?

The answer is what you believe: either you believe or you don’t.

The 7-year olds on the field trip were pretty sure that kissing slugs would bring you luck. So did they kiss it? Some did. Why did they kiss it? Well, when you’re 7, you probably have all kinds of complex (OK, so not terribly complex … ) reasons why you’d do something or not. If the cool guy of the class dares you, you might do it–or for that same reason, might not. If the girl you like (7-year olds do like girls, I have proof) asks you, you might do it to impress her, but then again, might not do it as a reverse impressive act (it’s complicated).

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right.”
― Henry Ford

But how deep did they think about the luck factor? I think the gross out factor was probably more prevalent. I know my son is into luck (he’s also into wishes and knows the secret best wish, “To have more wishes.”) but he also knows his pseudo-philosopher dad will tell him that you make your own luck. Who knows if he listens–or if dad has any more sense than, uh, the slug.

“Do you know where that slug has been?” a little pig tailed girl shrieked. Hmm, I bet if we did a lab test on the slug and her fingernails (after taking being on the school bus all morning … ), there’d be a clear winner.

But luck comes to those who believe they’re lucky. Luck comes to those who kiss slugs because someone else said that it would bring them luck but the kisser believes that it will bring luck, so guess what? It does.

It works because you believe it’s going to work. Something will undoubtedly happen that day where you’ll feel lucky and you’ll think back to the slug. If you didn’t kiss the slug, you probably won’t be thinking back to how you didn’t kiss the slug. Does this make sense? It makes perfect, logical sense to me. How can luck be logical like that? I think that’s exactly the point: it’s not mystical and magical, we have a say in the matter. Don’t believe me? Just kiss the slug.

Did I kiss the slug? You betcha.

It’s probably cleaner than kissing your dog. It’s just the perception that they’re yucky … but they are slimy.