Today we celebrate International Left Handers Day. Appears this is not a gift giving celebration as I’ve yet to get anything. I was surprised reading all the things that are apparently made for the right hand world. I knew the obvious ones – scissors, spiral notebooks, and three-ring binders but can openers, the computer mouse and even the driver’s cup holder seem to put some lefties into a tail spin. Refrigerator doors and stick shift cars are a problem too. And most coffee mugs and measuring cups are made for right handed people to be able to see the decoration or writing when the hold the cup.
I don’t write with my hand curved in so that helps to eliminate the infamous ink smears and helps with the spiral notebook issues. I never feel like I’m banging elbows at a table but righties will always ask me if I want to sit on the end. Where I notice the issues are in sports and moving furniture. My sports issues stem from gym teachers explaining how to bat, for example and then telling the left handed kids to “do it backwards.” I could never figure out what backwards meant so I just batted or did whatever like everyone else.
A lesson learned the hard, and sometimes heated way, was that as a leftie, my idea of “this way” and “that way” are the opposite of my right handed husband. This was learned moving furniture although he will still claim that I have more of an issue than just that.
Lefties are said to be more creative than our right handed counter parts. At least 4 of the last 7 presidents have been southpaws. We recover from strokes faster and are better at multi-tasking. With all these great attributes, of course, there are a few things that aren’t so great. Lefties are more prone to migraines, allergies, and more likely to be insomniacs. The good with the bad.
Musical instruments are some of the items most geared toward right handed people. The piano is the most unbiased instrument. Who knew? Tonight I’ve picked a song by a famous leftie, Paul McCartney, in honor of our big day today. I wonder if he got a gift…
spooningwithsmokey 