my left hand

I sketched my left hand after learning a few things about drawing negative space (seeing things as a flat outline) -- amazing how much that helps.

Now looking at my left hand, I reflect on a few of the things it has done for me in the last 49+ years:

• held my mother
• held my father
• helped me crawl
• pushed toys around on the ground
• petted cats
• played with dogs
• caught a ball
• helped steer a bicycle
• rolled newspapers
• made model airplanes and rockets
• held books open so my other hand could freely write
• opened doors
• held button holes open
• had the trust to hold a nail when my other hand held a hammer
• played a saxophone
• climbed over rocks
• moved me through water
• pointed at a bird
• focused a camera lens
• pulled out a thorn
• paddled a canoe
• held the reigns of a horse
• held other hands
• operated the clutch on a motorcycle
• moved pieces on a Monopoly board
• steered many cars, opened many windows
• stroked a cheek
• flew a plane
• stayed up all night waiting to type a paper for me
• learned how to rest peacefully on "asdf" keys
• held a bow steady
• rested my shoulders from the weight of a pack
• picked a flower, pulled a weed
• reached into a hive of bees
• danced to the music
• rubbed the sleep from my eyes
• pushed up my glasses
• pushed a cart
• carried groceries
• kneaded bread
• shot a pistol
• slapped a mosquito
• held vegetables while they were being chopped
• gathered wood for campfires
• climbed a rope
• scratched an itch
• paddled a kayak
• washed a car
• swung an ax
• lifted a shovel
• played a native flute
• gallantly tried to save the rest of me during a fall
• endured two surgeries to recovery
• held many, many, things steady so my right hand could do the other half of the work
• blocked the sun from my eyes
• rested peacefully while my other hand was sketching something...

Keep up the great job, my left hand. Glad to have you on the team!