A benefit of the 21st Century is that I can write this blog, and thanks to the wonderful world of fonts my writing is completely legible. However, despite the internet and a plethora of fonts, beautiful handwriting is something still to be admired.
Not that I would know what it feels like to have people admire my handwriting pass the age of eight. I grew up. Unfortunately, my problematic penmanship didn’t make quite the same transformation. I always struggled to separate words properly or to create smooth letters that seamlessly flowed to create a single word.
To gain better control of the pen I adopted the habit of writing in smaller letters. I found it easier to control the pen when I didn’t have to take it on a guided round-trip tour from the bottom of the line to the top.
Cue years of commentary on having handwriting that looked as though it had been written to fit inside a book suited for a mouse.
Comments, opinions and comparisons can knock the confidence of someone with dyspraxia, or anybody with handwriting that doesn’t reflect that of a 19th Century scholar with a quill. Now I have reluctantly approached adulthood, I find it hard to ignore when signing shared cards that I have what we will refer to as a more free-range writing style than most people my age.
This can be frustrating for anyone, but I suppose it makes sense. I stand out in everyday life, I may as well stand out on paper. It also meant in school I could tell from the other side of the building if my work was displayed on the wall. Every cloud.
It can be annoying to have hand writing that is… distinctive, but at the same time It is isn’t abnormal. Like fingerprints, everyone’s hand writing is different. We should appreciate the one we have and realise that it an extension of ourselves. If it still really upsets you don’t worry, it’s 2019 there’s plenty of options. If like me you are stubborn and embrace the wavy letters and uneven lines, don’t worry. It is just another reason to be #dyspraxicandproud