The Pain of The Left - by Emilia's Pen

"I won't collect it. How can you be so disrespectful?" So much scorn and anger — just because I used my left hand. The same hand that was created by God.The same left hand you possess, yet you rain so much insults and disgusted looks at it. The same hand that has the same blood, the same fingers, the same bones. The same hand I use to support my right when its strength is not enough — yet it is the same hand treated like a criminal? I always wondered why the left hand received so much hate. As if it wasn't created by God. As if the left hand did not come into this world with me. "This one must be very dull. I'm sure she's carrying first from the back.""Go and kneel down on that side. How dare you collect your book from me with your left hand? Infact, stretch out that stupid hand." whooshing of cane I am regarded as stupid when people notice I use my left hand — meanwhile, I'm the top of my class. "It seems your parents did not train you well.""Don't you know the bible says respect your elders? So why are you serving me water with your left hand? Change it this minute!" I am regarded as a person without values, good upbringing and respect, just because I gave you change with my left hand. Mummy! Daddy! Chim! See what they're saying o! "OMG! You use your left? Please teach me." "How did you do it? Is it like this?" The same hand that made people look at me in awe at school is being ridiculed and spat upon by society. "idi iberibe" ""oponu" Why is this so? Aren't both arms equal? Aren't they part of the same body? Were they not created by the almighty God who is perfect and made us perfect? So why is me using my left hand seen as an imperfection? Why so much disdain for the same body part you have?Is it because I use mine more than you use yours? What does the right hand do that my left cannot do? I never frown or give side looks when you hand me something with your right hand. I never question your upbringing because of it. So why must my difference be treated as disrespect? Perhaps the problem has never really been the left hand. Perhaps the problem is how easily we mistake difference for defiance, and unfamiliarity for disrespect. A hand becomes an insult.A habit becomes a character flaw.And a child becomes "ill-trained" simply for being different I am aggrieved but I understand that beliefs and traditions are difficult to abandon. But the day we realize that my left hand is no less human than your right hand — perhaps then we will finally find peace with what we once misunderstood.

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