This day honours the 13 percent who navigate a world designed for the right-handed

The 13th of August is commemorated as World Left-Handers Day, a day dedicated to the 13% of the world's population who make do in a world that wasn't meant for them. To many of us, left-handedness is just a fascinating statistic, something we mention in passing or wonder at during a discussion. However, for those of us who lean left, this is a quiet, everyday rebellion against a world that expects us to fit in when we don't quite belong.From the moment we grip our first crayon, left-handers are thrust into a world where ease can be transformed into hand-to-hand combat.

Scissors bite painfully; pens spill over the paper; spiral notebooks are a tangle of discomfort. It's completely out of tune, like music played in a different key. However, this dissonance does not weaken us, but rather it strengthens us. In a world designed for right-handers, left-handers learn to improvise, create, and, eventually, prosper.This kind of adaptability lends itself to creativity, which is sometimes cited as a virtue among lefties. To us, however, creativity is more than just an artistic talent; it is a survival ability. Being left-handed means seeing the world from a different perspective and approaching difficulties with a different mindset.

Our brains are wired to think beyond the box because, honestly, the box was never meant for us in the first place. It is no surprise that left-handers such as Leonardo da Vinci, Nikola Tesla, and Marie Curie are among history's most recognised thinkers. They did not think differently; they saw differently, creating visions that changed our perception of what is possible.However, it is not only about inventiveness. Being left-handed entails a quiet fortitude, borne of years of adjusting to a world that frequently forgets to include you. Each southpaw has a story to tell: awkward contortions in class, struggles with right-handed instruments, and ink-stained palms. However, these events do not diminish us; rather, they define us. They teach us how to be resourceful, to face challenges with fortitude, and to see beauty in the unexpected.Being rare has a mystical quality about it.

Being left-handed means standing out in a crowd, but more significantly, in life. It represents the fact that normalcy can be overvalued while the difference is powerful.

The left-handed intellect does not only accomplish what most others avoid; it frequently forges a new path where none previously existed. In art, science, sports, or leadership, a left-hander will do things differently, deviate from the norm, and transform the ordinary into remarkable.As we commemorate World Left-Handers Day, let us remember that being left-handed is much more than a biological quirk; it is a way of life, a sign of creativity, perseverance, and inventiveness that stems from a worldview that sees things not as they are, but as they could be.

Left-handers, living in a right-handed society, remind us that magic sometimes happens in the opposite direction. Here's to the lefties—the visionaries who prove that being different is not only acceptable but also remarkable.In celebrating World Left-Handers Day, we honor more than just a minority group—we recognize a testament to human adaptability and creativity. Left-handers remind us that thriving often means forging our own path, embracing differences, and finding strength in what sets us apart.

As we acknowledge the challenges lefties face, we also celebrate the unique perspective they bring to the world. Here's to the left-handers, whose quiet resilience and innovative spirit show us that being different isn't just okay—it's extraordinary.

(The writer is a freelance writer; views are personal)