This weekend is special in America . Monday marks yet another
Labor Day Holiday. Yet most folks don't reflect on the holiday and its meaning.
Labor Day is old. Its roots were in Canada and then adopted by the labor movement in
the USA .
Parades and demonstrations were the early salute to the special day but later
as labor unions gained a foot hold and made the world of work more just and
fair, the holiday took root and became a recognized federal holiday.
The holiday is not just a salute to labor unions, however;
it is a bow and curtsy to the labor we all expend in making a life for
ourselves and families. Some labor is highly compensated; other labor is
considered lowly and minimally paid. Some labor is free; a flight of fancy and
dream and also of charity. Truth be told there is much free labor these days.
The work of a huge and complicated society is not always compensated by wages
and salaries. No, compensation is in the form of rewards of the spirit and
fulfilled dreams of better lives for others. Service to others. Service to
unknown people. Service that is important but more so to our inner selves.
Today’s blog must appear Pollyanna-ish to some of you. Well
it might! And that’s OK in my book. We need to get out of ourselves often to
understand the world better, and to better feel the value of all we take for
granted. So much of what we think is good and valuable simply isn't all that
durable. Think on this anonymous quote
from the internet:
“If we do not feel grateful for
what we already have,
what makes us think we’d be happy with more?”
A very fine question! Seeing how others live should not
focus on what they lack and what we have. Rather it should focus on what makes
them happy and grateful in spite of their wants and needs. That is when we see
what is valuable. Often free. There for our enjoyment. That’s the thing I’m
speaking of.
For our enjoyment. It makes us feel good. Perhaps Labor Day
should be celebrate as many families do at Thanksgiving and Christmas – they
work in soup kitchens, serve up healthy meals to those who cannot get that on
their own. They work in food pantries, too. Some drive disabled vets and
elderly to their doctor appointments. Some watch kids in the neighborhood while
their moms an dads work at low paying jobs to support their families. Still
others read to the blind, or do their mending and laundry or simply vacuum
their homes – because why? Because those other people cannot do these actions
for themselves.
As elder populations age further and become more dependent
on others – families, neighbors, churches, and strangers – there will be more
opportunities for all of us to be of use to others.
The beauty of it all is that we gain more than those we
serve! It’s true. Try it and see!
Meanwhile, enjoy this Labor Day. Do something for someone
else in need. I am very sure you will be the better for it. So will they! Just
think what our communities would be like if an army of us did this sort of
thing.
Zowie!
August 30, 2013
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