Week 13- Still No Luck-I Need a 4 Leaf Clover in Nature Journal

Last week I was unable to go to my nature spot, so I was excited to go back this week-however, fate had other plans. I was unable to go to school or work yet again, and ended up spending Thanksgiving eve and part of the day in the hospital.

So with another week away from nature and the outdoors in general, and the doctor’s diagnosis of ‘bad luck’, all I could think about for this post was the symbol of luck in nature. Hence, the 4 leaf clover.

My family is primarily from Irish descent, on both sides-so I’ve been raised in a world of ‘green’. Most people don’t know that shamrocks and 4-leaf clovers are actually different from one another. Shamrocks are the ones of Ireland, not the ‘lucky four-leaf clover’ that we tend to think of. St. Patrick popularized the Shamrock by using it to explain the Holy Trinity-however the four-leaf clover does hold significance within Ireland as well! It actually dates back to ancient times (but nothing to do with St. Patrick’s day), when they believed that 4-leaf clovers were charms with magical properties that could ward off evil and prevent bad-luck. There are many other legends associated with the 4-leaf clover, such as the ability to see fairies when carrying one, or being ‘fortunate’, which is eventually how they came to symbolise good luck.

A four-leaf clover is rare, and an unnatural occurrence, that may be why we see them as luck-bringers as well. From what I’ve heard, each leaf represents a different value, faith, luck, love, and hope.

I found a great website that helps to explain this idea a bit more, “The word shamrock comes from the Gaelic word Seamrog, meaning “little clover”. A clover is the commonly used name for any number of plants belonging to the genus Trifolium, meaning “having three leaves.” Even among botanists, there is some disagreement on what species is the “true” shamrock, but most agree that the White Clover is probably the original shamrock of Irish symbolic heritage. While trying to convert the Irish into Christians, St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the holy trinity with each leaf representing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The three leaves of a shamrock are also said to stand for faith, hope and love. A fourth leaf is where we get the luck from. The four-leafed clover, or “lucky clover”, is an uncommon variation of the three-leafed clover, and widely considered to be a symbol of good luck. Because they are a mutation, they are rare, and not found in the same abundance as the shamrock, and thus, considered lucky. The traditional Irish symbol of a shamrock does not include the fourth leaf.”

Here’s the link for further reading,
https://tenontours.com/shamrocks-and-four-leaf-clovers-whats-the-difference/

So maybe I need a shamrock, to strengthen me with my Irish heritage, and remind me of the Holy Trinity. Or maybe, I need a four-leaf clover to give me that addition of luck so that I can get back outdoors.
At least this time inside has given me the chance to explore some of my interests surrounding nature for my posts, however off-topic they may be…

Last updated November 23, 2018