Ah, that last holiday and hurrah of summer. A day set aside over 100 years ago to celebrate the worker. It was a day of parades and speeches honoring the hardworking folks who kept all manner of businesses running. While it started on a Tuesday originally, it quickly moved to the first Monday in September and stayed there, becoming the original three-day weekend legal holiday combo.
Some might say it’s deteriorated in its purpose to being just another day to have barbecues and picnics, hit the beaches, go shopping. However, with the exception of the shopping which wasn’t allowed on the holiday for a almost a century, I think it was always about having an extra day to relax and enjoy before the return to the normal workweek.
The parades celebrating Labor Day have mostly gone away through the years. The speeches by leaders and labor unions still go on, but nowadays, they end up more as news bits for us to read or watch at another time.
But, the message of the day is still important. The working man and woman, regardless of their position, regardless of the size of their paycheck, are what make businesses and countries flourish. To ignore them or downplay their importance is asking for failure. To honor and celebrate their roles in our lives isn’t just an extra day tacked on to a weekend, either. It’s a year-round effort.
To those who work today, whether they must or have opted to put the time in, I hope the day holds at least a little relaxation. I also hope somebody higher in your ranks expresses their appreciation for you giving up what is your holiday to continue to serve.
Wherever you are, whatever your job, thank you for all the great work that you do.
Happy Labor Day, everyone.
Only 16 days until Fall.
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