August 13th is "Left-Handers Day" which for some of you many mean nothing. But for a left-handed person, it's cause for celebration. Odd how this was not always so. My handedness was established long before I walked into Kindergarten rarin' to learn. Yep - a left-handed trait. (Not the walking - the rarin' to learn!)
According to http://www.lefthandersday.com/, there tends to be more intellectual thinkers among us. Need I mention da Vinci, Einstein, Mark Twain? Although many of us could never cut a straight line, we have found our ways into baseball, fencing, art, music, writing, and other endeavors where line equals form and a scissor in hand equals inconsequential. Check out the Handedness Research Institute for more information (handedness.org).
Southpaws have met teachers who didn't understand our outer awkwardness. Going to school in the 50s, one zealous teacher tied my left hand to the chair to turn me into a righty. Back then, seven-year-olds didn't argue with the good Sister. Well, this little girl couldn't function. 3 was E, d was b, and every other letter or number was written backwards. The words on a page floated and my fast-paced brain shut down. By the end of the week, I walked home in tears, fully believing I was stupid. (we could use that word back then)
Monday morning, Mom (a righty) marched me into school and had "a few" words with the principal. My hand was never tied again, but the damage was done. I hold my writing paper in such a way that no one can pull it away from me. And my script looks right-handed. To this day when I get nervous, I have to consciously think which way left or right is. For those of you with little lefties, the trick is that you make and L with your left hand - trust me, it works during times of stress.
I won't go into eating at the dinner table or even setting it for that matter. My family understands. Left turns are 'this way' and right turns are 'that way' so just deal with it!
However, I wouldn't give up the creative, skewed way of seeing things to be in the majority. Not for anything! Good teachers love lefties because they see the world differently and think through problems with a totally refreshing edge.
Many years ago, when my son entered Kindergarten, I was prepared. The left-handed child looked like a klutz, but ah, his mind was steps ahead of the others. Very concerned, his teacher called me. He couldn't hold a scissor, couldn't cut a straight line or form his letters correctly. Not as feisty as my mother, I said "Give him time." The teacher was out for a week, and her substitute pulled me aside with a bright smile on her face. It seems my son's jumbled scribbles had to be held up to a mirror to read. He had deciphered "da Vinci's code" and made it his own at the tender age of five. To this day, his writing is chicken-scratch, but his fascinating sonnets (you read it correctly) have to be held up to a mirror to read - it's just a natural talent.
Why be different? What makes us this way? There are many books that disect the left-handed personality. Yes, we hear a different drummer! I read music before I could read, my left hand on the piano is much faster than my right, I'm a wiz at cryptograms and Scrabble, and 1000 piece puzzles are done in a day.
Research indicates that a lefty is forced to develop both sides of the brain. Many survive and come back from strokes. Howard Gardiner's "Multiple Intelligence Theory" also hailed the left-hander's brain. Wiggins' "Backwards Design Theory" is a lefty manifesto! And yet, some research indicates that left-handed children are the result of brain damage during birthing, to which I say, "I beg your pardon?!!"
But lefties have more freak accidents with tools and while driving cars. Looking right before I crossed streets in London almost got me killed. I don't want to get into how hard it is for me to peel a potato - you'd laugh like hell.
As a teacher, it's a blessing. I think differently, which engages students to encourage deeper thinking. Lefties make fabulous educators because we understand the oppression of "like-mind" mentality, and usually get a bit rebellious. I believe it was a lefty who thought up the creative classroom.
If you love a lefty, kiss them on the left cheek for once, and sit across from them at the dinner table. Don't trust them with a handsaw unless you have good insurance. Above all, celebrate our difference. I'd take deep thinking over a straight line any day. Ooops. Another lefty trait!!
Please share your thoughts. Do you love a lefty? Did you raise a leftie? Are you a "chosen" one? Leave a comment because I love a good discussion. ~ Mickey
27 comments:
I'm the poor one who was left handed as a baby but my mom switched me by always taking spoon, fork, crayon, etc. OUT of my left hand and putting it in my right. But I taught myself to read at 3, very artistic and creative teacher for 35 years (Aiken County Teacher of the Year), and all the other characteristics apply to me. I was characterized by a test the school faculty had to take as a "global thinker". Interesting, huh?
Nancy
I was also the first teacher in SC to set up learning centers, 'cause I realized that first graders weren't meant to be glued into seats or desks all day! Nancy
I'm a lefty, too, and I laughed at the this way/that way thing. I have to imagine myself in a car to remember left and right. While my teacher didn't do anything so barbaric as tie my hand to a chair, she did encourage me and another lefty to hold our pencils differently -- not in the awkward curved-around position most lefties use. The other lefty rebelled; I knuckled under and did as I was told (sigh). In this case, though, it actually worked out well -- I'm very comfortable writing that way. My mother, another lefty, was forced to write with her right hand, but she could write beautifully with her left as well.
I was the only left-handed one in a family of 7. No one tried to change me, but they also couldn't show me how to do anything, and so I had to figure out the world by myself, including the scissors dilemma. I think that helped me use the creative side of my brain. That's sort of what writing fantasy is all about, I guess. - Phoebe Matthews
My husband is a lefty. He learned to print very nice and pretty, since teachers wanted him to write right-handed over left-handed and his writing is not too great.
Now I am right-handed and we have to make sure when sit side-by-side, not my right to his left. LOL
Nancy, you go girl!!! Global thinker, indeed. We are a talented bunch, and even if you were switched, you're still a lefty at heart. Creative teacher, giving each student a chance to discover knowledge in a meaningful way. I deem you an honorary lefty!
Thanks for sharing! ~ Mickey
Hi Barbara. Very interesting fact about your mother. I write right-handed on the board once in a while. It throws my students off, then they try to write with their left. Knuckling under... I don't think so. You adapted. That's a lefty trait!
Thanks for sharing! ~ Mickey
Hi Phoebe. I know exactly what you mean. Lefties love the challenge of figuring things out themselves. You write fantasy. I write paranormal. Creativity is the key word.
Thanks for sharing! ~ Mickey
Hi Pamela. My son did the same thing. He prints instead of using script. He does most everything on computer - types very fast. The sitting thing is true as well. Even at the movies.
Thanks for sharing ~ Mickey
Great post! I'm one of those 'chosen' lefties, too. By the time I started school, left handers were fortunately left alone, even in the Catholic school I attended. Being left handed, the only one in my family, I always felt special.
And ten years ago, I did have a stroke that paralyzed my left side, but I came completely back from it in a short period of time. And it didn't affect my speech or memory at all.
I feel very fortunate to be a lefty!
Yay, Susan! Another fabulous lefty writer with a remarkable personal triumph! As for Catholic school, some of us attended in those good ole days - you're a young one :) You should feel special, and blessed with creative, lefty talents!
Thanks for sharing! ~ Micky
Great post Mickey! My sister is the only lefty in a family of 8...and she's so creative!
Chris
Amen to my fellow lefties! My daughter, mom, brother and I are all lefties. So was my late mother-in-law. It's no accident that many actors and musicians are also southpaws; creativity is an inherent trait. I'm a pianist and singer; my daughter chose writing as her creative outlet. Her paternal grandmother was a talented artist.
Now I understand why my mom recovered so quickly at age 82 from a subdural hematoma she suffered as a result of a fall last year.
We never discouraged our son from being a lefty. My father wanted him to be a pitcher. Instead he plays tennis and the lefty spin on a serve is nothing to sneeze at, you either get out of the way or you try to hit it out of pure fear for your life. I bought lefty scissors, he learned to sit on the outside of booths when dining. The worse part was our daughter, six years older, had to make those dot letters of the alphabet so he could learn how to trace his letters. He refused to write script until he turned sixteen and needed to sign his license. I have friends who forced their children when small to be righties, maybe they would have always been, but I think it's a disservice to do that. I don't know about his being a deep thinker, I'd settle for him turning out the light when he leaves a room. Our son is celebrating Lefty Day by playing tennis of course.
HI from a fellow southpaw. My grandparents wanted my parents to tie my left hand down so I'd use my right. Thank God they didn't do that. I learned to use scissors and a knife with my right hand...still do. I think we lefties have learned how to compensate in a right-handed world and do much better than righties...if they had to do something with their left hand. I once went to a bowling party where everyone had to use the opposite hand...I won. All those righties couldn't figure it out!
Just got a new desk that has pull-out shelves on both sides...my last one only had one on the right side and didn't help me at all.
When I taught second grade, I'd get all the lefties from all the second grade classes to teach them how to write. The other teachers split up the righties.
I took a knitting class and the teacher said, "You can learn to do it right-handed. It's easy." I brought a stand-up mirror in the next week, had her stand behind me, and watched. That's how I learned to knit left-handed.
We lefties are definitely more creative because we have to be!
Great blog.
Have have twin sons. One is a lefty, one is a righty.
My lefty is a thinker, much more quiet and very focusd.
My righty is a jokester, more outgoing and scattered.
Fortunately, my lefty went to school at a time when teachers didn't try to force him to hink with the left side of his brain.
I'd say your assessment is right on.
Wow, Christine, only one out of 8? Now that's pretty odd.
And Soni, so many lefties! Just like Chris, that's pretty odd. The fact that these two posts are back to back is cool!
Hi Dorothy. I like what your daughter did for her brother. That's very sweet. It sounds as if you encouraged him. I'd like to see that tennis serve. It sounds fascinating! And yes, lefty concentration ususally sails right over the little things like saving on the electric bill :)
Hi Maryann. Tied hands and scissors seem to be a theme here. But bowling with your left hand? That's something I've never heard! You're also one of the creative teachers here, and an understanding one. I knit as well as crochet a bit backwards having learned from a righty as well. As stated by many of us here, we are adaptable people.
Hi Kathye. Twins that compliment each other. How neat.
Thanks Christine, Soni, Dorothy, Maryann and Kathye for sharing.
I'm thrilled so many took a few minutes to stop by my blog today. I'll carry this discussion through Lefthanders Day with a big :)
~ Mickey
I'm not a leftie, but enjoyed your post tremendously. Kudos to all you "lefties!"
And I didn't know there was a left-handed day!
My husband is a lefty and I always worry about his long commute. His vision tends to 'drift' out his left window and by the time he looks forward again, the car is drifting to the left too! Toward oncoming traffic Gaaah!
He also works with power tools a great deal and loves to create things. I love him dearly and want him to be happy, but yup...I worry about the power tools too.
Fortunately or not, I wouldn't dream of telling him not to drive or build. I just ask him to be careful. Now I know why.
Ash
Yep, today...August 13th is our day. Thanks for stopping by, Sandra.
Hi Ashlyn. Thanks for your comments. Your husband is a lucky lefty!
~Mickey
Now I wish I was left handed!!! I wonder if it would help me.
I have a brother that is left handed, he is a genius. Go figure.
Regarding that rarin' to learn thing, I guess that's true for me. Which explains why I was too embarrassed to ask for help or anything when I couldn't use the scissors. It wasn't until grade 3 or so that somebody caught on to my, "why don't you cut all the paper, and I'll do the gluing?" scam, and got me a paper of left-handed scissors.
Scarred for life by this, I'm militant about it now. My daughter is a lefty, and day one of kindergarten I made sure the teacher knew that not having available the left-handed scissors I provided, would not be acceptable. :)
Oooh, Ashlyn! I have your promo pen right next to the laptop! Just wanted to let you know I like how it writes.
Mickey
Thanks for stopping by, Mary. Knowing how it feels to be the 'odd' man out, we'll make you an honorary lefty because your lefty brother is a genius!
Hi Jennifer. Networking already in the grade school? Now that's lefty ingenuity!! I'm glad you advocated for your daughter as I did for my son.
Thanks for sharing! ~ Mickey
I'm not a leftie, but my brother is. He moves to a different drummer. He is a whiz with investment and money matters. I fly by the seat of my pants. His life is drawn out and scheduled. Every T crossed, every I dotted. Me well like I said above:)
I respect my brother's intelligence, love his very dry sense of humor and his sense of structure in life and finances. Me? I'm the one with wonderfully creative imagination, adventurous, let no grass grow under my feet, and hate to say it, extremely resilient.
So no matter what hand is dominant, we are all unique creaturs with our own special traits.
Dayana~
Hi, Dayana. Yes, creativity comes in all sizes and it doesn't matter which hand is dominant. To find ones talent and to nurture it is the most important gift we can give ourselves.
Thanks for sharing, Dayana. "Bestial Cravings" was a real treat to read. I'm ready for "Eternal Obsession" tonight :) ~Mickey
And to all who made this post so interesting, I thank you as well.
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