其實你也可以對著自己的睫毛許愿，反正

如果你掉了一根睫毛會怎樣?你是否認為這并沒有什么大不了的，不過只是一根睫毛而已，又或許你覺得這肯定意味著什么了不得的事?但對很多人來說，倘若掉下一根睫毛，他們就多了一個許愿的機會。

A 6-year-old girl may wish on every loose lash she finds, but probably doesn't really expect she'll wake up the next morning to find a pony stationed outside. Her mother, even though she's well into her 30s, wishes on loose eyelashes, too. She doesn't really believe that her wish will result in a work promotion or lottery jackpot, but figures an occasional try can't hurt. After all, she's been making wishes on eyelashes as long as she can remember, and deep down, she thinks making wishes wards off bad luck.

當(dāng)一個六歲的小女孩向一根掉落的睫毛許愿時，她的愿望可能是擁有一匹可愛的小馬，但卻也并不會真的期待一根睫毛就能做到;當(dāng)她的媽媽掉下一根睫毛時，內(nèi)心盼著自己能中彩票或者升職，但也不會真的就寄托于此。但她知道，從記事起，她就一直在這么做;在她內(nèi)心深處，這樣做就可以趕走壞運氣。

Much like wishing upon a star, tugging on a wishbone or other wish-related rituals, a loose eyelash could be a direct route to your deepest desire -- if you believe, that is.

這就像你也會對著一顆星星許愿一樣。只要你相信，一根松動的睫毛可能就是通往你心中的渴望的直接途徑。

The superstition that compels us to wish on otherwise random objects dates back at least a couple of centuries. Several versions of eyelash wishing existed in 18th century Britain and Ireland. For example, folklore recorded in Shropshire, England, instructs that if "an eyelash comes out, put it on the back of the hand, wish, and throw it over the shoulder. If it leaves the hand, the wish will come true." Another version, this one passed among Cornish schoolgirls, reports a loose eyelash must be placed on the tip of the nose or the back of the hand. If it is successfully blown off the surface, the accompanying wish will materialize .

這種讓我們對著一些小東西許愿的迷信，早就好幾百年前就有了。十八世紀(jì)時在英國和愛爾蘭，就有好幾種不同版本的“睫毛許愿”。 例如，在希羅普郡的民間傳說中，如果"一根睫毛掉了，你把它放在手背上，朝它許愿，然后把它扔向肩膀。如果它離開了手，愿望就會實現(xiàn)。" 還有另一個版本，是在康沃爾的女學(xué)生中流傳起來的：首先你必須把松動的睫毛放在鼻尖或者手背上，如果它被成功被吹走，愿望就會實現(xiàn)。

While the origins -- and success rates -- of wishing on eyelashes are historically murky, one thing is clear: It doesn't count if you pull out an eyelash and try to make a wish. In fact, it's not a good idea to pull out your lashes under any circumstances. An eyelash can take up to eight weeks to grow back .

雖然這件事兒，并不是很靠譜，但有一點是一定的：如果你人為地拔下睫毛，再對著它許愿，就一定不作數(shù)。不過好端端地，我們扯睫毛干嘛呀。一根睫毛可是需要八個星期左右才會長回去呢。

What's more, your eyelashes function as gatekeepers -- fine hairs used to protect the eyes from dust, sand and other debris. Now that's something to wish for.

更重要的是，人的睫毛具有護眼功能，使得我們心靈的窗戶免受灰塵、沙子、和其他一些碎片的傷害。這才是我們需要“許愿”的。