Ambidexterity

Ambidexterity – it's just another one of the many goals I plan to conquer in life. Like most people, I'm a righty. However, a few years ago I was playing basketball and severely injured the base of my right thumb. It was swollen for months. This interfered with a variety of things, including using the mouse for my computer. At the time I decided it was a good idea to teach myself how to use the mouse with my left hand. It's one of the best things I've ever forced myself to do. After my right hand recovered I never went back to using my right hand for my mouse ever again (except when I use other people's computers). It's amusing watching someone try to adapt to a mouse that has the buttons switched. Nine times out of ten they will resort to using their right hand for a mouse with left-handed settings. It's incredible.

Since then I've developed a left handed preference for doing other things as well, including shooting a basketball, holding a drink, eating, and occasionally writing. My left-handed writing isn't nearly as good as my right hand still. But one day I think it would be pretty hip to be able to write two different thoughts on two different pieces of paper with two hands. Somehow I don't think our brains would allow that. But who knows, maybe I'll be the first to break that limitation.

Most people who are right handed tend to have stronger right limbs. In spite of this, after my basketball incident I feel that the power in my body has finally reached an equilibrium. I no longer have a weak side.

Sometimes bad things happen in life and it's up to us to make the most of them. This has been an example of one of those situations. And why the hell not? The biggest lesson I learned from this is that we all have two arms and two legs (most of us). We should use them!

~Anthans