Left-handedness
No doubt, you have heard the old saying, ”If the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body . . . then only left-handed people are in their right minds.” Those of us who are left-handed believe this to be true. How about the new saying going around? ”Everyone is born left-handed. . until the first sin.” Those of us who are left-handed hope this is true.
Living in a right-handed world means we lefties must be constantly adjusting. For example, I can’t count the many times I have struggled with a right-handed ladle to fill a punch cup or pour gravy on mashed potatoes and thus make a colossal mess. The knob to set the time for a watch is located on the right side which makes it awkward when Daylight Saving Time arrives. At least, today lefties can buy a battery-run watch so there is no hassle to wind it. Scissors cut the wrong way for lefties; butter knives bend the wrong way. I always have to sit at the left end of a table when eating with a group in a restaurant or a dinner party so I don’t bump elbows with a right-handed diner. A computer mouse sits at the right side of a computer with the most-used button set for the index finger of the right-handed person. If a leftie moves the mouse to the left side, the most-used button falls under the left weak ring finger. Camera shutter buttons are often set on the right making it hard to hold the camera when taking a picture. Today, about the only thing that favors a left-hander is a toll booth.
“Left” as a word has meanings that define lefties as clumsy, awkward, or even deceitful. Moncino means “deceitful in Italian; the same word is linksch in German and no levo in Russioan. The Latin term sinister meant “left,” but usage of the word took on the meaning of “evil” or “unlucky,” which were then related to left-handed people. The French word for “left” is gouche which means “awkward” or “lacking social experience or grace,” which many right-handers believe describes lefties. Even though I am left-handed, I must admit that when I see someone doing something with his or her left-hand, he or she appears so clumsy to me. I have to remind myself that I would look just as clumsy if I were doing the chore myself.
Clumsy or not, I have good news for my left-handed readers. Think again of the beautiful drawing in the middle of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, Italy. The God figure points to Adam’s left hand to give him life. Perhaps the first human was left-handed (or do you suppose Michelangelo was left-handed? Many experts think so). Today 7 to 10 percent of our population is left-handed, yet one of every four of our astronauts are left-handed – a good indication of a lefty’s ability to deal with new and strange situations and be able to cope. In his book Right Hand – Left Hand, Chris McManus of the University College London, argues that the proportion of left-hander is rising and left-handed people as a group have historically produced an above average quota of high achievements. He says, “’Left-handers’ brains are structured differently in a way that widens their range of abilities.”
So lefties, rejoice. We always knew we were different form other people who are right-handed. Now we know our awkward clumsiness is a real blessing.