Being Left-Handed

http://www.lefthandersday.com/tour7.html

Vocabulary:
Doeth: choosing a religion.

Personal reaction:
It is still a mistery what is the reason why some people, no matter race, age, ethnicity or social status, would be left-handed. What is a fact is that life is not easy for this world wide minority.
On the Internet there are hundreds of sites and web pages dedicated to left handers. One of them states that different researches have demonstrated the existance of a gene which is believed to “make it possible to have a left-handed child”. Since the human brain works “cross-wired”, it is the right hemisphere (the one that controls music, art, creativity, perception, emotions and genius), the one in direct connection with a left hand dominance. As a consequence, more left-handers work in related fields (architecture, ball sports, etc.).
The article also states that the wrong idea that left handers are not as capable of managing tools as right handed people are is just a myth. Left-handers are “forced to use right handed tools and machinery which is completely back-to-front for them”.
The historical background plays a major role on the issue of left handers: different theories support the idea of an ancient right hand preference (“sun worship” and the believe that since “the heart is on the left hand side, a shield would have to be in the left hand to defend it and any weapon therefore had to be held in the right, which became the dominant hand”. Besides, Christianity is also “based towards the right hand”; on the contrary, “the devil is nearly always portrayed as left handed and evil spirits lurk over the left shoulder”. This last fact dderived on the superstition that “you...should...throw spilled salt over your left shoulder to ward them off”. Even the language categorizes the word left as bad (“being left-out, having two left feet”, etc.).
After setting some interesting facts about left handers (eg: “most left handers draw figures facing to the right”; “there is a high tendency in twins for one to be left handed”, etc.), the article focuses on children, and the everyday difficulties they face for being different. The problems arise when children have to learn “basic skills using the wrong tools”. For worse, even with the appropiate tools, left.handers do not escape from the stereotype of “being slow, awkward and clumsy”.
This article is fascinating, for it clearly and simply explains facts that try to make left handed people – and the rest- more aware of how difficult it is to be a minority, and to use daily tools that are not designed for us. On a personal level, I have never been able to use scissors on a proper way, or to write without smudging the paper. So at least now we know that these problems happen to lots of us (still a minority!).

step one, done!

Bravo! I have successfully gone through my first observing class this morning. For me this is all an event. I've been so nervous these last days and I know exactly why. Last year, 'bout this time of the year, I had decided to let go my dream of getting my degree. And I just felt terrible. When last month I realized that the time to try it again had come, well, things got bad. I really felt deeply inside that I wouldn't be able to do it. I was scared to death and the fact of forcing myself to ask for schools timetables was a crazy adventure for me. But, as people say, the sun always rises again for all of us, and this time I said to myself that I was compelled to do this, but the good thing was that I could try to enjoy of the process. And so I did. The group is fantastic. There are 14 friendly, easy going, thouthful kids, eager to learn. I know, this was only my first class with them, but it was awesome. I'm looking forward to teach them, 'cause I feel that this experience will strenth all the things that I feel about teaching.
I do realize that there will be not so brillant classes, but this is a challenge that I'm willing to persuit. I have to wrap up some loose concepts, but I think I can do it well. I believe it, damn it!

good enough for you

It might be that I have the worst day of all.
It is possible that I fell no more chance.
I could walk in darkness, waiting for a signal.
I may choose to give up.
It might seem too difficult to even try.
It is possible that everyone ignores me.
I could hate everything that surrounds me.
I may run till I get lost.
It might look that I cannot fight anymore (and it's true).
It is possible that I feel a complete strange among my dearest ones.
I could easily say NO to everything.
I may no longer see.
It might feel like the end of the world.
It is possible that I fell empty and useless.
I could loose my faith.
I may hate with desperation.
All this represents the worst in me. But something saves me: I'm good enough for you, and that's good enough for me.

I dream a dream

B:- Where am I?

M:- You're in a dream.

B:- My dream?

M:- No, someone else's.

B:- I wanna go. I don't like it in here.

M:- Don't worry. You'll get used to it.

B:- Get used to what? Who are you?

M:- I don't know who I am, and it's not important either. Besides, I no longer have memories of my past life. My only duty here is to guide you. And the best thing you can do is to accept it.

B:- What are you talking about? I won't stay here.

M:- Yes, you will. There's no way out. You cannot escape from your own thoughts.

B:- And what do you know about that? You don't even know me and I demand you to let me go.

M:- All right, then. Leave.

B:- Yeah, thank you, but how?

M:- You well know how.

B:- No, I don't! Just let me go!

M:- Ok, but first answer this. Do you think you know yourself good enough?

B:- Of course I do!

M:- Then you do know where the exit is.

B:- I don't understand.

M:- I 've told you that these walls that surround us are your thughts. Well, if you know everything about your life, as you claim you do, you won't have any trouble.

B:- But thoughts are completely abstract.

M:- Not in this dream. When you dream, everything gets possible.

B:- Wait, you said that this dream belonged to someone else.

M:- Yes, it's your other you who is having this dream.

B:- So what does she want?

M:- Not much. She just needs you to admit that you're tired and that it's time to surrender.

B:- What happensif I choose not to?

M:- Sooner or later you'll understand that fighting against the inevitable was totally useless.
B:- How do I know that you are not her?
M:- Believe me, I'm just a messenger.