Every year on Labor Day the thought crosses my mind that I don’t understand how my having a day off from work honors the American laborer.

I’d like to think of myself as laboring but, as some of you know, I sit in a cubicle for six hours a day answering the telephone for a newspaper. After taking over a hundred calls and being yelled at or harangued by someone who wants a lower rate on his subscription renewal I feel like I’ve labored. But my clothes aren’t dirty, my back doesn’t ache, my feet don’t hurt from standing all day, I don’t have blisters or calluses on my hands from a repetitive task, my skin isn’t weathered from exposure to the sun day after day after day. These are the ones I think of when I think of Labor Day.

Today I took a minute and went to the Department of Labor website to remind myself of the original intent of Labor Day.

From the site:
“Labor Day: How it Came About; What it Means

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”

It goes on to explain that there is doubt as to who first proposed the holiday. It could have been Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor. According to the site, though, “Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.”

The page ends with this thought, “The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.”

As I read this I wept. Now, I know what you’re probably thinking and you’re right. “Damn, Sharon does a lot of crying.” I’m one of those people who can’t listen to the National Anthem without crying. Whether some people would agree or not I am a true Patriot. I love my country enough to be heartbroken when I see what we are doing or are not doing in some cases. When most of you read that paragraph I’m sure you thought the same thoughts as I and would love to go on a rant about it but for me that won't be today. Of course, I’m looking at a government website which doesn’t want to talk about the plight of the American worker today, the jobless rate, the out-sourcing of jobs to other countries by manufacturing firms in search of cheap labor, the lack of affordable health insurance. These subjects are well worth a rant but I do not feel equipped to do the subjects justice and will leave that to other, more organized minds.

My Tribute To The American Laborer

When I was young we would travel from Tennessee to South Carolina several times a year to visit my grandparents. The trip was made on winding roads through mountains and many small towns. Now that same journey can be made in half the time thanks to Laborers, including my grandfather, who built the Interstate Highway system and continue to maintain this luxury for us today.

Back then in our small town you burned your trash in a barrel out back and for anything bigger there was the city dump, crawling with rats and a good place for target practice. Now there is the monumental chore of dragging the trashcans to the curb once a week to wait for the Laboring garbage man.

The house where I live was built in the 1920’s but it recently had new shingles and a paint job thanks to the Laboring roofers and painters.

My car is a North Korean Hyundai, foreign but it is what I could afford. I’m not sure where all of the parts were made but a thank you to the Laborers wherever they labored. When it needs maintenance or repairs, though, my American Laborer mechanic does a great job. Thank you.

Because I have a car I don’t use the city bus system but they pass my house every few minutes and a couple of my co-workers ride the bus each morning and afternoon. When a bus needs to be let back into traffic or make a wide turn I try to move over or slow down to make it easier. They don’t know it but that is my way of saying, “Thank you for Laboring for us.”

My beloved Publix grocery store will be open on Labor Day. I wish they would close. If I can’t plan ahead enough to get what I need to feed myself then I should just have to do without. Someone will be standing on their feet all day Laboring to be sure we have enough chips and dip or sodas.

I could go on and on, which it looks like I already have, but you get my point.

To The American Laborer:
Thank You for making my world a better place. We’ll all be enjoying your day.