(English Below)
昔から「いいことが起こる前触れ」として、縁起がいいとされるものはいくつかあります。日本では例えば、茶柱が立つ（湯のみの中で細かいお茶の茎がまっすぐ立つこと）のは典型的な幸運のサインですし、つばめが家に巣を作るのも「家が栄える」と言われています。また、朝の蜘蛛を見るのも縁起が良く、蜘蛛は「神の使い」とも考えられてきました。白い蛇も同じく「神の使い」とされていて、見かけると良いことがあると考えられています。
ほかにも、四つ葉のクローバーを見つける、流れ星を見るなど、昔から「願いがかなう」と言われる前触れもあります。さらに、新年に富士山や鷹やなすびの夢を見ると、その年は良いことがあると言われています。国や文化によって違うこともあり、おもしろいですよね。
そんな中、家のドラセナ（幸福の木）が花を咲かせました。10年に一度しか咲かないと言われているので、これから良いことが起こるといいなと思います。この幸運が、みなさまにも届きますように。
Written by Ritsuko Sensei
Written by Ritsuko Sensei
ENGLISH VERSION
For a long time, people have believed in certain things as “omens that something good is about to happen”. In Japan, for example, one classic sign of good luck is when a chabashira stands up (when a small tea stem rises and stands upright in your cup of tea). It’s also said that if swallows build a nest at your home, the household will prosper. Seeing a spider in the morning is considered lucky as well, and spiders have even been viewed as “messengers of the gods”. A white snake is also regarded as a divine messenger, and people believe that spotting one means something good will happen.
There are other well-known signs as well, such as finding a four-leaf clover or seeing a shooting star, which have long been said to signify that your wish will come true. And there’s also the saying that if you dream of Mount Fuji, a hawk, or an eggplant at the start of the new year, you’ll have good fortune for the year ahead. These beliefs vary depending on the country and culture, which makes them interesting, doesn’t it?
With all that in mind, the dracaena, also known as the “lucky tree”, in my home has bloomed. Since it’s said to flower only once every ten years, I’m hoping that good things are on the way. I hope this good luck finds its way to all of you, too.
