Proud to be Left -handed

 

 

On the 13^th of August this year, a friend texted me early in the morning, wishing me a “Happy Left-Hander’s Day.”

“So you’re left-handed” is a remark I’ve heard a million times. It’s been said with disdain, surprise, or mockery. I’m grateful to my parents for not trying to turn me into a right-hander.

Society demands that you give and receive with your right hand. This is one rule that I may break or not adhere to. An autorickshaw driver once refused to receive the fare from me because I was handing the money to him with my left hand. When I sit at the computer, I must transfer the mouse to the left side or learn to work it with my right hand. As a left-hander, I must position my book in a certain way and write. Some left-handers have their hand trailing across the page as they write, and thus, fresh ink may be smudged. Smudge, smear, or not, lefties are there writing their hearts out. The list of challenges is long. From scissors and can openers to musical instruments, left-handers don’t have it easy, but they survive and thrive.

 

International Left-Handers Day:

International Left-Handers Day is celebrated on August 13^th and was founded in 1976 by proud lefty Dean R. Campbell to celebrate the uniqueness of left-handed individuals and to raise awareness about the challenges they encounter in a predominantly right-handed world.

 

Societal Pressure:

Society is curious, apprehensive, and critical of lefties or maybe even amused by them. A “left-handed compliment” or “two left feet” also has negative connotations. The word "left" has been steeped in stigma and misunderstanding in many cultures and may also be considered unlucky or sinister.“Left” comes from the Latin word “sinistra,” meaning “left.” Conservative rural and urban families may force their children to switch hands. Left–handedness is also linked to the performance of unclean tasks.  I’m grateful that my parents did not force me into being right-handed.

 

Southpaw:

"Southpaw" is a nickname for a left-handed person. The term "southpaw" is often used to describe left-handed sportsmen, boxers, athletes, and baseball players, among others. It is said to have originated from baseball, where left-handed pitchers faced west, causing their throwing arm to point south.

 

Fun Facts:

 

Only 10–12% of the world population is left-handed.

 

Left-handers have differently wired brains. They tend to use the right hemisphere of the brain, which is more associated with creativity, intuition, and spatial awareness.

 

Left-handers may excel in math, architecture and music because of their greater ability in spatial reasoning.

 

Research shows that left-handed people are more intellectually gifted and have higher IQs.

 

There exists in Goa, the world’s first museum for left-handers, featuring over 100 statues of famous left-handers.

(https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/a-museum-for-all-lefty-luminaries/articleshow/60039601.cms

The Indian Left-Handers Club celebrates and encourages left-handers. (https://www.indianlefthanderclub.com/)

 

In Morocco, left-handers were once considered cursed or devilish.

 

Some Famous Left-Handers:

Mahatma Gandhi, Jimi Hendrix, Oprah Winfrey, Ratan Tata, Amitabh Bachchan, Saint (Mother) Teresa, Barack Obama, Lady Gaga, Leonardo Da Vinci, Sachin Tendulkar, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg.

 

Being left-handed is nothing to be embarrassed about or ashamed of. It’s a trait fashioned by nature. You’re kind of out of the mould but still beautiful.

To every brave southpaw who lives and loves life, continue to live and celebrate your life with flourish—smudges and all.

..org

 

 Image credit: Freepik images.

 

 

 

What can Young People teach us?

 Let’s Learn

 

From the time we are born, we learn how to sit, crawl, stand, walk, and talk. Then we learn from school, from our parents, from tuition, and from friends and peers. It never ends.

As long as you learn the positive, you’re good. You might even learn a few lessons from your mistakes.

On this learning journey, is there anything that we might learn from Gen Z and the millennials that we interact with, or are they just 'young and restless' in need of guidance? 

Well, there might be stuff that we learn from them. The millennial and Gen Z children that I’m a parent to have taught me a few life lessons.

 

Resilience

They are a resilient lot. They suffer from peer pressure, academic stress, and job loss, but more often than not, they find a way out and bounce back, sharper and more determined.

 

Quiet Perseverance

 “You must never disclose your plans,” says my twenty-six-year-old. Let the task be accomplished, and then shout it from the rooftops.

 

Honesty is the best policy.

Honest and forthright, they have no qualms about pointing out what is wrong. Young people value transparency even when it's uncomfortable. They remind us that honesty is the best policy.

 

Questions

Unlike older generations who accepted and obeyed, the present-day youth are full of questions. They question systems, traditions, religious beliefs, and even authority. They want to know the why, what, when, and how of everything. Progress, they believe, is born of curiosity.

Digital Prowess

Today’s youth are equipped with an enviable digital prowess. Navigating technology is a piece of cake for them. Let’s keep learning as they do, be it technology or life lessons.

 

Networking inclusivity

Most young people, including my offspring, have a fairly large network of genuine friends who are a major source of support. On a recent holiday, a friend of my son gladly hosted my husband and me for a couple of days in the apartment that she shared with two other girls. She even cooked for us. Her heartwarming gesture quite touched us. They build communities across borders and cultures, and that is something that we older generations can embrace more fully.

 

Mental Health

Young people are more aware of mental health issues and are quite vocal about burnout, therapy, and self-care. This again is something the older generations can emulate rather than keep up appearances.

 

Young people may not have it altogether, but the best teachers are not always the older ones.

This post is my entry  for the Blogchatter weekly prompt

Image credit: Pixabay and Freepik

Independence Day

 

Independence Day

 

2025 marks India's 79th year of Independence—79 years since she was freed from the shackles of colonial rule. It’s a holiday that everyone looks forward to, especially with a long weekend like this year.

I am proud of all that my country has achieved in these past 79 years. She has come into her own.

As flag-hoisting ceremonies are held and the national anthem, along with patriotic songs, are sung, I pray to God to bless her people with a stronger civic sense.

- I pray that her children maintain her secular fabric and that all live in harmony.

- That women are given the freedom and justice they deserve.

- That education and literacy reach even her most distant corners.

- May all her children learn to speak the language of love.

- That justice prevails and corruption is thwarted.

That the hard-earned freedom be used wisely.

May our beautiful motherland continue to rise from strength to strength, and may God be with her always. Jai Hind!

This post is part of Blogchatter's weekly prompt.

Image credit: Pixabay.

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