“I’M LOOKING OVER A FOUR-LEAF CLOVER”….

We have a bench in our backyard overlooking a pond and when I need to think, I go out and sit on the bench and think and watch our dog, Maddie, circle the pond hunting for frogs (she doesn’t catch them, just enjoys scaring them silly and making them squeak and jump into the pond). One day a couple of weeks ago, I was overwhelmed by a few things I was going through at the time and went out to the bench. In sorrow, I leaned over and put my head into my hands and through tear filled eyes, found myself looking over a four-leaf clover. I have never been one to believe in superstitions, whether good or bad, but rather that your choices in life lead you to your destiny (at this point in my life, I was realizing that other people’s choices were more instrumental in leading me to my "destiny" than my own choices), but I leaned over, picked the four-leaf clover, took it inside and placed it in my Bible to press and dry out, anyway.

I showed the clover to my husband when he came home from work and he said that I was “so lucky!” - he had never found a four-leaf clover before. Somewhat sourly, I told him…”Yeah, I am so lucky… some people win the lottery…I find a four-leaf clover”. Boy, was I ever to find out how seriously mistaken I was in making that statement.

This past week, I had been out watering flowers in the yard and was once again watching Maddie in her pursuit of jumping frogs – and sat down for a quick rest on the bench. I set my water bucket down and to my surprise - there in the grass was another four-leaf clover! I was so taken aback. I leaned down to make sure, thinking there must be another clover under it that made it just look like it had four leaves but, nope, it was a four-leaf clover…again. I began to think that there must be a patch of four-leaf clovers growing there in that spot but I got down on the ground and searched and searched and could not find another one. I started to wonder if Someone was trying to tell me something. But what? According to society’s standards, I would not be considered a “lucky” person – not by a long shot. But I started contemplating….what exactly is luck and what makes a person lucky? I decided to do a little research and find out just what all the fuss is about these little four-leaf clovers.

According to http://www.riverdeep.net/current/2002/03/031102_stpatrick.jhtml, the Druids, authoritarian Celtic priests, belief of the Shamrock, or regular three-leaf clover, is that it is a sacred symbol and along with Christians believe that the three leaves symbolize the Holy Trinity – God, the Father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Spirit, - but if a four-leaf clover was found, it would aid in identifying witches or demons. In the more modern era, some spiritual people believe that four-leaf clovers release an energy that will help one in their judgment. Others believe that finding a four-leaf clover will bring the person finding it good luck or good fortune.

This was getting really interesting!

There are different varieties of clover plants that grow naturally with four leaves but an actual four-leaf clover will have one leaf that is smaller than the rest. If you are “lucky” enough to find a real four-leaf clover, you should know the legend of the four-leaf clover according to fourleafclover.com/vshop/facts_about_4-leaf_clovers. It is believed that one leaf is for faith, the second is for hope, the third is for love and if you find one with four, the fourth leaf is for luck. According to Irish tradition, the three leaves of the Shamrock symbolize the Holy Trinity, but if one is found with a fourth leaf, that leaf represents God’s grace.

So, whether you believe in luck or do not believe in luck, the Holy Trinity, faith, hope and love, or that the four-leaf clover will help with judgment, finding the four leaf clover was a blessing to me, especially at a time when I needed to be reminded just how “lucky” I really am. To me, finding a rare gift of nature under my feet symbolizing the Holy Trinity, or faith, hope, and love and topped off with God’s grace - that’s the best kind of “luck” to find or be reminded of - any day!

I also found the original words to the song, I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover by Mort Dixon. After my research and reading over the words once again, it sure brought the words of the song into a whole new perspective for me.

I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover

by Art Mooney, Words by Mort Dixon, written in 1927 and popularized by Art Mooney in 1948.

I’m looking over a four leaf clover

That I overlooked before.

One leaf is sunshine, the second is rain,

Third is the roses that grow in the lane,

No need explaining, the one remaining

Is somebody I adore.

I’m looking over a four-leaf clover

That I overlooked before.

I wish you, the reader, Good Luck and that if you find a four-leaf clover, it brings you “luck” as you see it, want it or need it and that you realize that we are all "lucky" beyond compare because we are blessed with small gifts every day, as long as we are "lucky" enough to just look around realize them.