Today is Left-Handed Day. I know, it’s such a prolific holiday that you undoubtedly already knew this. As a lifelong lefty, I’m particularly excited about this national holiday!
When I was in (Catholic!) grade school, my teachers did their darndest to change my dominant hand from left to right. Apparently, they bought into the bunk notion that being a lefty is an affliction that must be reversed. Well, I disagreed. Wholeheartedly. For example, when these teachers put me in a right hand only desk, I turned my paper sideways – literally sideways – and wrote top to bottom, right to left. I still write this way. In fact, many people look with awe when watching me write. Full disclosure: it does look mighty odd!
Now, when it came to my sports life, for some reason I was predisposed to my right side (thereby being labeled as ambidextrous). Case in point: until my breast cancer diagnosis, I played tennis right handed. As many of you will recall, after my double mastectomy, I developed lymphedema in my right arm, necessitating that, if I wanted to continue to play tennis, I needed to switch hands and play with my left hand. Though it felt crazy at first, as it turned out, I think that I was destined to play left handed!
Below are some fun ideas to help you celebrate Left-Handers Day. Try these activities using your left hand…and have some fun!
- Eating & drinking
- Stir food in pans
- Fill & pour your beverages
- Open a bottle
- Use spatulas
- Use the computer keypad to enter lots of numbers
- Draw or write in ring binder / spiral bound notepad with left hand
- Using fountain/ink pen or just felts and colour in with left hand
- Play tennis – or any racquet sport – with your left hand
- Kick a soccer ball with your left foot
If you happen to be left-handed, you are in excellent company:
- John F. Kennedy
- Gerald Ford
- Ronald Reagan
- George H.W. Bush
- Bill Clinton
- Barack Obama
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Michelangelo
- Alexander the Great
- Julius Caesar
- Napoléon Bonaparte
- Helen Keller
- Henry Ford
- David Rockefeller
- James A. Garfield
- Herbert Hoover
- Harry S. Truman
- Carol Burnett
- Kermit the Frog
- Goldie Hawn
- Julia Roberts
- Sarah Jessica Parker
- Oprah Winfrey
- Babe Ruth
- Marie Curie
- Aristotle
- Jimi Hendrix
How many of you, dear readers, are left-handed?
Good Morning-Love your blog, insight and all in all outlook of the world, a true gem you are!!
I am a lefty too-one thing difficult for me-punch bowl ladles, in addition to some of those you listed. Have a great Left Handed day!!
You're so RIGHT, Cindy! Oh my goodness, they are a challenge indeed. Thanks for writing!
I only wish I was lucky enough to be a leftie. Thankfully though I have a Sassy Seven daughter who is blessed to be a leftie . I can't wait to share this good news with her…. we WILL celebrate this day
Fantastic, Sheri! Love having that in common with Sassy Seven.
I am so a lefty and very proud to be!!
Fantastic!
Isn't Paul McCartney a lefty?
I believe that he is! Thanks for the great addition! xx
….and Prince William of Wales