INSIDE LIFE WITH GBEMI: WHAT MAKES THE LEFT HAND DIFFERENT FROM THE RIGHT HAND?
WHAT MAKES THE LEFT HAND DIFFERENT FROM THE RIGHT HAND?
Growing up as a Yoruba girl, I was taught to never use my left hand to accept or give anything to an elderly person and of course you can imagine how extra Yoruba parents/elders are. I am sure most of us were taught the same thing.
That left hand should be used only in the toilet and never to eat or write or accept and give things. I recently absentmindedly gave a friend in church a pen with my left hand because he was seated at my left hand side and the next thing he told me was "why are you using your left hand to give me the pen, what's wrong with your right hand?" I was like, "what's wrong with using my left hand? hand na hand abeg".
The poor guy tried to tell me it was wrong, but he never said what was actually wrong with using the left hand. Well almost everyone in Nigeria agrees that using your left hand to give or accept things is wrong but this got me thinking about the south-paws (left-handed people). Like seriously, how do they cope with people's views on the use of the left hand?
Majority of our devices today have been built basically for right handed people e.g. the door knob is placed at the right hand side and not left. However, I actually don't see anything wrong with using the left hand to give and accept anything (though I don't do that for my elders, I don't want to receive a knock).
Most cultures and some religions see the use of the left as an act of disrespect. I think one of the reasons why people detest the left handedness wahala is because in the course of trying to teach the child hygiene (you should only use your left hand in the toilet and not to eat)in order not to confuse the poor child they label the left hand as bad. Or maybe people views became stronger because in the Bible, the sinners are asked to go to the left hand side of God and the righteous to the right hand side.
Anyways let me know your thoughts or views on the use of the left hand in the comment section.
Thanks for always coming through!
Post by : Ojole Omogbeminiyi Rotade
Facebook: Ojole Gbemi Rotade
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