Left-Handers' Day

August the thirteenth is International Left-Handers' Day. Most people probably have at least one left-hander somewhere in their family. I certainly do. My mother tells the story of being forced to use her right hand instead of her left when she entered school years ago. I have two first cousins who were southpaws, and I had a tendency toward being left-handed. My mother followed the doctor's suggestion and handed me everything in my right hand, and I ended up with the right being dominant. I did the same thing with my daughter, but she always transferred it to her left hand, so she ended up being a left-hander.

About one-tenth of the world's population is left-handed with statistically more men than women. In ancient times, left-handers were looked down upon and sometimes even considered to be witches. In medieval times and in certain parts of the world, people used the left hand to wipe with after using the toilet, and they would not shake hands or eat with it. The Greeks and Romans wore their main rings on their left hand to ward off the evil associated with it.

However, in modern times, some declare that left-handed people are special and more apt to be creative. A few of the noted left-handers include Aristotle, Joan of Arc, Leonardi da Vinci, Wolfgang Mozart, Marie Curie, Helen Keller, Babe Ruth, Marilyn Monroe, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Tim Allen, Prince Charles, and Prince William. Here's to all left-handers. Let's help them celebrate their day.

___________________________