It’s finally here, that special day when the small percentage of us folks can celebrate the fact that we’re different from the rest (and not be burnt at the stake for it. lol)
It’s August 13th National Lefthanders Day!
I’m happy to be sharing this special day with you all.
It’s a fun way to make folks aware that we’re all human regardless what hand we write with.
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In honor of the day, I’m sharing my story:
I’m a Cross Dominant Leftie, with Right Hand tendencies!
(Sounds almost naughty, Doesn’t it? lol 😉 )
In the early part of my life, I hadn’t met more than a few left-handed people. Back then, not many folks would admit it openly. It carried a stigma and some folks thought it was a shame or we was somehow lesser than the average right-handed human. Happily in the last few dozen years, I’ve met many lefties and we’re just ‘proud as peaches’ to be lefties.
As a child, I was Ambidextrous and was quite efficient with using both my hands equally. As I grew up, I became what is known as Cross Dominant and adjusted to being able to use my right hand for most everything except for writing.
I remember seeing some of my classmates brow beat, embarrassed and punished into using their right hands. I recall there was even a condescending little ditty the teachers sang over them to embarrass them, they also encouraged the right-handed students to sing it with them. I’ve heard many sad stories from folks and I also remember my parents telling stories about children being physically forced into learning to be right-handed.
My Dad was very firm in his beliefs and he was not a man to be trifled with. There wasn’t a Schoolmaster nor Schoolmarm nor Principle nor Teacher that would have dared tried to change my writing hand. Thanks to my Dad, I was never subjected to the cruel ditty nor did I ever catch any flack about being left-handed … although I thought I did once…
When I was in first grade, I was sitting at my desk, doing my Math and my left hand grew tired of making the amounts of dots to match the numbers 1-10, so I switched to my right hand.
The next thing I knew my teacher had called in the second grade teacher. They both hovered around me saying things that I couldn’t understand and spoke about my switching hands and then called me ambidextrous.
I didn’t understand the word. They scared me to death. I thought I had done something bad and was in trouble. And like any normal frightened little 6-year-old girl, I began to cry. I thought they were talking ugly about me.
Thankfully I was literally saved by the bell, the last bell of the day. The second grade teacher left to go to her class and my teacher got busy helping everyone line up to go to the buses.
I managed to get my things, go get on the bus and I whimpered all the way home. I was confused and felt so ashamed. I had apparently done something wrong. I was terrified they would paddle me for it the next school day. I tried to hide my tears, but after I got to the safety of my home and parents I fell apart. My parents immediately wanted to know why I was crying and if anyone had hurt me.
Through storms of tears, I told Mom and Dad how the teachers had acted. I couldn’t remember the big word they had called me. I tried to say it but it was too big for my little memory.
So, Mom and Dad asked me what I was doing when the teachers came up to me.
I explained about doing my Math and my left hand getting tired and switching to my right hand.
Dad and Mom both smiled and explained to me that the teachers had called me an ambidextrous and it was a good thing to be and they explained why.
Of course I felt instantly better and special too.
Here’s wishing you all a wonderful day
regardless of what your dominant hand is.
Joys Of Creating 
great tale! I am the left handed daughter of a left handed mom, no one was going to mess with me and what hand I used, she would have none of it. 🙂
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Thanks Salpal
That’s neat your Mom and you share the leftie trait. Your Mom sounds like a wonderful woman. 🙂
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She is! We actually have lots of lefthanders on her side of the family – both my aunts married lefties, and one of my cousins is as well. So no worries about getting the “right” corner at the dinner table – we have a whole side of the table just for us. 🙂
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Hey Salpal,
That’s great to have so many lefties. I like the leftie table setting too. Cool!
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Aw…I felt so sorry for your little six-year-old self when I was reading that story. How wonderful that you shared with your parents, so they could comfort you. One of my classmates wrote with his left hand at his desk and with his right hand at the blackboard.
One of my closest friends is left-handed, and she taught me to make cards using rubber stamps. We had an interesting time when she tried to show me how to use a stamp positioner! It’s definitely different depending on which is your dominant hand.
And I’ve heard that it’s very difficult for a right-hander to teach a left-hander to crochet! I was wondering who taught you?
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Thanks Dianna
It’s interesting about your classmate using his hands for two different but similar tasks. We cross-dominants tend to split task like that.
My husband is right handed but in softball pitches with his left hand, I am left handed but in softball I pitch right handed. When we played years ago that is. lol
I bet you and your friend shared many laughs and giggles. I’ve never made cards like that, but I do admire the gorgeous creative cards. They’re pure art and a wonderful gift. I don’t know what a stamp positioner is, but it sounds interesting. I’m going to look it up.
You’re right about it being difficult for a rightie to teach a dominant leftie to crochet. Fortunately I’m a cross dominant, my Mom was right handed and I didn’t have any problems learning when she taught me to crochet. When I’m being taught a task, I usually mirror the person teaching me. That’s why I do most everything right handed, Except for writing and I can’t break myself from using my left hand. 🙂
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Happy Lefty Day to you, E.C. I’m a lefty also the only thing I can do right-hand is crochet when I was in k-5 the teacher wanted my parents to sign a paper given them permission to tie my left hand behind my back. My ma said only if she could tie her (the teacher) right hand behind her back and told her if I ever came and said I was forced to use my right hand she would return to the school and wouldn’t like the outcome! The teacher never asked again. My grandma who was right-handed taught me to knit and & crochet she sure had a hard time with me, but thankfully I did learn. Happy Day. 🙂
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Thanks Sherry
Wow, that was mighty bold of that teacher. I guess back then she probably fancied herself pretty clever suggesting torturing you to make you conform to her idea of perfection. I’m proud of your Mom for putting that snobby teacher in her place. lol What a wonderful Mom you have.
Your Grandma must have been an awesome lady. She blessed you not only with the gift of crochet & knitting, but sweet memories of her patience and love. 🙂
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So sorry E.C., not sure why I hit M.C.!
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lol not a problem. I’ll change it for you. 🙂
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What a fun story! I grew up ambidextrous, but my right hand is now dominant… but like you mentioned of your husband in the comments, I throw better with my left. I also have always been and will always be left footed! Gave me an extra edge on the soccer field! 😉
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Hi Tequilacupcakes
Welcome to my blog.
Thanks so much for sharing your handiness with me. I enjoyed it very much. It’s so interesting to me how a person can throw or bat left handed, especially if your right hand dominate. It’s a very helpful talent to have. That’s cool about your having an edge in soccer. I bet the other team got real confused sometimes. lol
Thanks so much for visiting and leaving me a happy comment.
I hope you’ll visit again sometime.
🙂
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I find this all very interesting! I have a left handed granddaughter.
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Thanks Charlotte
That’s pretty neat. Your Granddaughter is a special girl. 🙂
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