Imagine having to use brute force to turn a can opener, or hardly ever being able to cut a straight line with scissors. Oh yeah, we’re talking about being left-handed.

Sure, I feel special, being in the approximately 10% of left-handers in the world’s population,  who wouldn’t?

But boy does it come with its advantages and disadvantages. I could do quite well in hand-to-hand combat, using my surprise left hook to catch my opponent off guard. But on the other hand, using a can opener is like slowing sawing off your own arm, frustrating and almost impossible.

Don’t even get me started on writing. If the constant stab of the spiral on a spiral notebook isn’t enough to drive you mad, how about the dark color that spreads across the side of your hand?

It looks like you dragged your hand across a bed of graphite. But hey, we get a day to ourselves, as August 13 is dedicated to International Left-Hander’s Day.

So if us lefties haven’t been severely injured while trying to cut a piece of paper or open a can of peas, then we can rejoice in an entire day of our uniqueness.

If having a day all to ourselves isn’t enough, how about entire stores dedicated to products specialized for left-handed people?  That’s right, a can opener that I can actually use without having to exercise every muscle in my arm.

Sometimes being left-handed is a serious pain.  It’s hard to open things, difficult to write without coloring your hand, and frustrating to always be cutting uneven lines.  But I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.  I love being a southpaw.  Even if it means I might ram your fork into your mouth when my elbows bump into yours at the restaurant.