It makes sense that left-handers have their own day. We deserve it. Living in a right-handed world, especially as a child, presents a unique set of challenges. But, at some point in my life I started to embrace my “leftyness.” So, when I heard about today I raised my hand — my left hand, obviously — to think about our day.

Where are all the lefties?

It turns out that Lefty Fretz, makers of left-handed guitars, have helpfully compiled a whole list of facts and trivia. Here are the ones I found most interesting:

  • We are more likely to be insomniacs — um, check
  • We are better at multi-tasking
  • We are more likely to pursue creative careers — check, check
  • Of the seven most recent U.S. Presidents, four have been left handed
  • We can see underwater quicker
  • Less able to roll our tongues — check on that one, too

However, lefties have not always been embraced. In fact, my own father was born left-handed in 1925, but his parents forced him to be a righty. I always thought that was a shame, because I would have loved to have another lefty in the family.

I decided to consult Wikipedia to see what I could find out about the centuries old persecution of lefties and where it might have come from, but I immediately got distracted by the extensive list of ways life is harder for lefties, and I engaged in a tiny self-pity party because it was something I had always suspected, but had never seen in writing.

Here is a short list of everyday items that are generally designed to be used by our right-handed brethren:

Scissors, computer input devices, knives, cameras, musical instruments, all knitting and crochet instructions. This last one is particularly unfair as we are more likely to be creative!

Writing for a lefty is particularly challenging and just this morning I discovered this brilliant smudge guard. Raise your left hand if you spent all of elementary with the side of your palm covered in lead.

It will come in particularly handy for those of you who have spent time trying to learn calligraphy (raising my left hand for this one, too). Well, look what I found, a site dedicated to left-handed calligraphy.

This lefty has spent my entire life attempting to master the potter’s wheel. Just last week my teacher told me changing the rotation of the wheel to clockwise would be a life-changer for me, and voila, I finally made a round bowl. It is not glazed yet, but since today is leftie day I wanted to show it off. Also, shhh, don’t tell Nanea Hoffman, it is a present for her.

I could go on and on about left-handedness, but I think instead I will recommend one of my favorite films, “Moonrise Kingdom,” the perfect film to watch on left-hander day. Here is a tiny taste in case you have somehow missed this Wes Anderson masterpiece with a lefty heroine:

“Watch Moonrise Kingdom” now!

Valerie Van Galder is a knitter, a baker and a beagle lover, and is inordinately fond of planting tomato plants in her back yard. She also can be found answering messages on www.depressedcakeshop.com.

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