Leftie

When Herself was a youngster in grade school, at arts-and-crafts time she would search the old coffee can that held the classroom supply of scissors, hoping that one of two particular pairs would be available to her: the plastic, vaguely spongy green coating on the handles of those difficult-to-obtain pairs indicated that the scissors were designed specifically for left-handed people.  She was not at all artistically inclined or even remotely crafty (and still is not, to this day), and those lefty scissors helped her to get through the assignments just a little bit easier.

She is fortunate in that she grew up at a time when left-handed people were no longer coerced into switching to right-hand dominance.  It was tricky enough to try to reach the standards for handwriting and other manual tasks, without being required to use the clumsy right hand. Though she was a good student, she would regularly receive "C"s in handwriting on her report card.  Frustrating, embarrassing. 

Other projects were even more problematic.  When her mother and her mother's friends held their sewing group and brought their daughters together to learn a few sewing skills as well, Herself just could not understand how to hold the fabric and the needle in the right-handed way she was shown.  Her stitches slanted the wrong way, looping and wiggling as she tried to make them resemble those of the instructor. She received some kind praise from Mrs. K, who saw the efforts Herself was making, and yet also heard the other little girls snickering and mocking her ugly square of sewing.  Herself didn't attend sewing group much after that; there was no point.  Her time was best spent elsewhere, in activities that didn't require a handedness she did not have.  

On the plus side, left-handedness did seem to be helpful when she learned to play the piano.  She loves her piano now, even though she does not play it every day.  It's a musical escape, and her skills are sufficient that she does not feel handedly-inadequate.  

With the nearly ubiquitous use of computers these days, Herself's handwriting and other hand-specific skills are of minimal importance. She's adapted to right-handed objects and habits, and adapts to any inconveniences as best she can.  Nevertheless, she is very pleased when an occasional left-handed tool -- such as the magnificent left-handed can opener -- finds its way to her.  And sometimes, science provides marvelous information that puts handedness into context beyond ordinary human activities. 

To wit:  birds can be lefties, too: "Birds display lateralization bias when selecting flight paths."

Fascinating.