Why Being Left-Handed is Awesome

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I’m left-handed. I grew up in a family with 5 people.  My parents were both left-handed and one of my sisters were left-handed (I thought being right-handed was odd).  Today, I live with my husband and 3 children – the girls and I are left-handed and my husband and son are right-handed. As you can see, I have lived my whole life with left-handed people. I think being left-handed is awesome.

Left-handedness has always been totally normal to me.  Growing up, I thought most people were left-handed or least 50/50 left and right-handed. When I got older I learned only about 10%-15% of the population is left-handed, I have been fortunate to have an overabundance of left-handers around me my whole life.

Why It’s Awesome Being Left-Handed

Left-handers learn to adapt quickly

If you are right-handed, you probably never notice how many things in life are designed just for right-handed people.  Take for example scissors. When I started kindergarten, the scissors were always awkward because most are designed for right-handed people. Yes, there are left-handed scissors, but I probably didn’t learn this until 3rd or 4th grade by then I could use the right-handed version just fine (I still use right-handed scissor today).

Because right-handed people dominate the world, many tools and products are designed by just for right-handed people.  Here’s just a few:

• A pie cutter/cake slicer (almost always these are designed for right-handed people only)
• Spiral notebooks
• One-handed gloves at school (for softball and baseball)
• Restaurant booths (who wants to bump elbows – I still do a seat check every time I sit down)
• School desks for right-handers
• The mouse on the computer (in school it’s always on the right side, to this day I still keep my computer mouse on the right side and use my right hand).
• Apparently, game controllers are designed for right-handers.  Maybe this is why I can never figure out how to use one, but my right-handed sister has no problems with it.
• When you have to sign electronic forms or devices (like at the grocery store check out or doctor’s office), the screen is set-up awkward for left-handers.
• Opening doors (we usually turn doorknobs with our right hands)

As you can see, there are many everyday things that left-handers have learned to adapt and use living in a right-handers world. Most of these things I don’t even notice anymore I have just adapted to the difference (except for the game controllers, I really can’t figure out how to use an Xbox controller).

Left-handers are a little quirky

One quirky thing about me, I cannot tell my left from my right. Just the other day, I was driving and a friend said,  “turn left here.” My brain was paralyzed. I could not remember left or right.  Usually, when this happens, I just blame it on the quirkiness of being left-handed.  Many other left-handed people I know cannot tell left from right either. What about you?

Left-handers are in their right minds

It’s a lame joke, but it’s true.  The brain is cross-wired. When you are left-hand dominant, then you are controlled by the right side of your brain.

There’s a Day to Celebrate Left-Handers

If you are left-handed, did you know there’s a day to celebrate left-handers? That’s right, it’s August 13th. Every year on August 13th, you can celebrate everything awesome about being left-handed.

Fun & Interesting Facts About Being Left-Handed

Researchers are not clear what causes a person to be left-handed, but here are some interesting stats:

If you have 2 right-handed parents, you only have a 9% chance of being left-handed.

If your father was left-handed, you have a 12% chance of being left-handed.

If you have a left handed-mother, you have a 16% chance of being left-handed.

If both parents are left-handed, you have a 20% chance of being left-handed.

About 75% of left-handed people have 2 right-handed parents, and only 2% have 2 left-handed parents (guess I was really unique).

Did you know that while approximately 10% of humans are left-handed, about 50% of cats are left-handed? Now, I’m wondering if my cats are left-handed or right-handed.

Some research shows lefties can process things faster than righties. Think this is true?

Lefties are more likely to be the genius in the family.

Lefties are more likely to be President (3 of the last 5 Presidents were left-handed – Bush Sr., Clinton and Obama).

These are just a few of the fun facts about being left-handed and some of the reasons why I love being left-handed.

We all have something that makes us unique and special. God made each of us with different talents and abilities.  Being left-handed isn’t a talent, it’s just one of the many things God gave you that make you who you are. Find ways to use your talents, skills, and left-handedness to serve and help others.

Let’s not criticize our differences and uniquenesses, let’s celebrate each other as individuals and everything we can do together.

Your turn…

Are you left-handed? What do you love about being left-handed? Even if you are right-handed, what’s special about you?

 

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