August 13th was National Left-Hander's Day! I know...it's a date that's not well known or like a real holiday or anything. Nobody will buy you flowers or even send a card because of it, but it ought to be important to those of us who are left handed or left pawed. From what I've read lately there's only between 10 and 15 % of the population that are left handed (pawed). Yep, that's all, no more. I am a left pawed cat myself, although quite ambidextrous. I have to be since those of us that are of the feline persuasion don't usually come equipped with thumbs. So we get by using both paws equally.
Personally, I've always been proud of being left pawed and right-minded. In a way it made me seem a little different somehow. Growing up and attending school I was usually the only one using the other paw to write. I remember in second grade we were learning to write cursive and my paw was positioned quite different from everyone else's...almost like it was upside down, very awkward looking I'm sure. I didn't have a problem with it, in fact it felt quite normal to me. But it seems it caused others to be upset by it which in turn caused me great embarrassment. We had a special visitor one day from another school and while we were practicing this new way of writing she strolled up and down each aisle scrutinizing our work with her beady little eyes. It was so new to all of us and I felt I was doing pretty good. Of course, I had my challenges being a lefty, such as the darn desk was all wrong. How was I supposed to rest my arm while writing when the silly desk top is on the wrong side? Then top that off with trying to hold my pencil with my arm stretched way over and my paw turned around towards me? I'm sure it looked awkward as hell but it worked for me. So I'm tootling along, minding my p's & q's when all of a sudden my pencil gets yanked out of my paw and I'm told that because I'm using my left paw I will never have a nice handwriting and that I will need to hold the pencil halfway up or no one will ever be able to read my writing....oh, and don't leave out the part about turn your paw around properly. Totally screwed me up! I was so humiliated as everyone turned around to see who was getting scolded. Wouldn't I love to run in to that individual (insert battleaxe here) again...why I'd give her a....okay, moving right along...
Anyway, I thought I'd at least honor the day by sharing some interesting facts taken from the internet regarding being left handed. One interesting thing being that the number of left handed people in the world is growing and that left handed people in history, as a group, have produced an above average quota of high achievers. Of the last seven presidents, four were left handed. The Mensa group believes that about 20% of them are left handed. In a left handed person the right side of the brain is more developed and because of this the left side of the body tends to be dominant. More men are left handed than women. You'll find that many of the world's funniest comediennes are left handed as are many, many artists.
Unfortunately being a lefty can cause you to feel like an outsider sometimes, especially as a child. Just think what you've probably had to face at some point, like using scissors, for instance. They are made for right handed people. Of course, they do make them now for left handed people but you'll have to find a place that carries them. It's not like you can run to the corner store and pick up a pair. And the memories of those horrible school desks...how cruel was that? So many things that right handed people never give a thought to. People shake hands with the right hand...I could go on but why bother...we know it's a right handed world out there.
So I say we deserve our day...August 13th...and to all you lefties, southpaws and whatever else you've been called...I salute you...with my left paw, of course.
Blessings,
Sister Very Catty
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