This is my kind of place! August 13 is International Left Handers Day. They say that between ten and 15 percent of the population is left handed, and I’m proud to be part of that group. You might wonder what being left handed has to do with Walt Disney World, but hear me out. I’ll get to that in a bit.
I’m the youngest of three daughters, and the only one of the three who is a lefty. There are other lefties on both sides of my family tree, though. Some of my favorite childhood memories took place at my grandparents’ house. I’d always sit next to my grandfather because we were the two lefties, and he made me feel like the most special person in the world. He was an incredible man, and I am honored that I was named after him.
My daughter inherited the left handed gene (if there is such a thing), and also my left handed pride. Even though it is just a small part of the population that is left handed, we were able to make a majority in our household! They say that lefties are sometimes more creative, so I am not surprised that my daughter is now a professional drummer.
I will sometimes joke about the “struggles” of being a southpaw. I can’t cut a straight line to save my life. When I was a kid the left handed scissors had that annoying green thing wrapped around the handle, which surprisingly took up a lot of finger space. I have large hands, and my growing fingers would not fit comfortably inside. I had to learn to cut right handed, which I still do. I know that’s not an end of the world problem, but it seemed like it when I was five.
There is one thing that righties do not understand about lefties. Believe it or not, a lot of us have a problem when trying to explain left or right. If my right handed husband is driving and I’m trying to tell him where to turn, often I’ll say right when I mean left, or vice versa. I’ve learned to point as well as say the way to turn, just because it happens so often. And don’t ask me to swipe left or right! I’ll always go in the wrong direction.
“I may be left handed but I’m always right” is my motto… If you’re still with me, here is where the whole thing ties into Disney. At Disney Springs there is a kiosk called Lefty’s – The Left Handed Store. The store’s other location is in San Francisco. There are a lot of fun novelty items. You can buy left handed pencils (the words on most pencils and pens are upside down for lefties), scissors, cooking utensils, and other fun items. The mugs are printed so that you can read the words if you pick it up with your left hand; but beware if you use your right hand! There are also T-shirts and hats with left handed related mottos.
Even though I can’t cut in a straight line and I smear the words if I write with a pencil, I’m thrilled to be left handed. If you’re a lefty, or if you know one, stop by Lefty’s on your next trip to Walt Disney World. You can then pick up some unique and fun souvenirs that you won’t find elsewhere.