Hands

this was inspired by one of the prompts for my sister's college essays. of course, i am not going to write an entire essay.

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Everyone's hands are different. sure, they may look similar to begin with. most of them are attached to a wrist. they tend to have five fingers, and the thumbs are usually opposable. my hands have all of these features. but they are not the same as anyone else's.
my hands have held the pens, pencils, markers, and crayons that i have used to write my name so many thousands of times. they have been immersed in the pacific ocean, and covered in its sand. they have run through my hair thousands of times. they have tied hundreds of shoelaces.
These hands have made throw-ins, shot goals, and made baskets. They have hit swung bats and thrown softballs. they have steadied me for in the blocks and taken the blow after falls over hurdles.
they've been scraped and slashed, cut and jabbed, blistered and burned.
they've held flags and spun poi. my hands have climbed rocks, climbed fences, climbed walls.
they have held bows, fingered strings, pressed buttons, and signed syllables.
they've written poems, songs and stories. they have erased old words. they've painted pictures and sculpted sculptures.
they have held friends and family. they have caressed, tickled, pinched, hugged, and patted.
they will do much more in my lifetime.

my hands are not the same as anyone else's.