It’s the End of Summer … Offically Anyway

With the end of summer finally comes the only true workin’ mans holiday, one set aside specifically for them. Okay so the term workin’ MAN isn’t as politically correct as some would like, well I say screw’em. Seriously, we are MANKIND. Not Personkind or even genderly separate but equal except when I want special treatment kind, hence the term “Workin Man”. Now that I have assured myself of getting angry and irritated emails and quite possibly getting ranting comments I think I can safely continue on knowing that whatever else I say I will have already offended someone. Not that I started out to offend anyone but hey it happened and now we can move forward and onward.
This, as far as I have been able to devise, is the only holiday that doesn’t have its own identity. At least that is what I want to say but that isn’t entirely true. Every holiday has its own song(s), Parades, fireworks, decorations, special religious service or special event that is held in celebration of the holiday. This is one of them left out in the dark holidays that don’t have enough of those identity defining items to give it its own identity. Sure there may be a bunch picnics in backyards and parks or even a few fireworks displays scattered all over the country. Then again if you live in some place that no one has ever heard of there is a slim chance that you may have a parade but that still doesn’t qualify it. One needs to have at least two to fit; three is an instant qualification. Every other holiday has at least three items on the list, but not poor lonely old Labor Day. It kind of makes me wonder what Congressman James H, Kyle of South Dakota was thinking of when he made the bill making it a national holiday. Could it have been an original pay back to unions, we may never know, then again he was supported by the Democrats even though elected as an Independent. Hmmm, even more to wonder about at least this one won’t keep me up nights.
There are many men and women that are out on the labor lines making it all possible for those that have the day off to do the things that you want to do. The storekeepers and the like not everything can come to a screeching halt like it could back in 1894 when the holiday was made official. Back then of course our culture didn’t depend on so many things working 24 hours a day 7 days a week forever. We can and should tip our hat to those in the workforce that continue to keep things running while those that do have the day off can spend it in non-labor. It all kind of works that way I guess.
There is one thing about this holiday that has kept me up at night wondering about. Isn’t Labor Day actually one of them oxy-morons things we hear about? Well it’s not as well-defined as others like Military Intelligence, Congressional over site, responsible government, congressional ethics and the like are but I still think there is a chance that it qualifies. How can that be you ask, well it’s my mind and I say it does that’s how. Not good enough argument for you, eh maybe you’re right. Labor according to the dictionary is defined in part as physical work, workers, a supply of work, a particular piece of work. All that can only mean that labor for all intense purposes means work. Sure there are other words for labor some of them are work, toil, exertions, task, struggle, strain, and so on. They all point to doing something and what is Labor Day, a holiday, a day off with time to rest yourself with your family or spend it doing anything other than; well LABOR! That being the case shouldn’t Labor Day actually be named UN-Labor Day or Rest Day. Why not call it … Sit on your ass drink adult beverages, or pack up the family go on a road trip, fishing, hiking, camping, play baseball, volleyball, football, hell it doesn’t really matter what you do, you have the day off Day. Yeah, maybe you’re right that might be just a little too flippin hard to remember, besides I don’t think you could fit that all on the calendar in that little square. I am beginning to think that this one is way above my pay grade.
Whatever you decide to call it this holiday has become the official end of summer and the season I like to call Vacation as well. Soon every school will be filled with eager children and curious minds sitting in a room still wanting to be someplace else. Every work place and home will be filled with parents all worn out from the summer of family activities. They will be able to spend all their time once again concentrating on their work and not stressing over what they will have to do after work or on the weekend. With the time they have they can now get ready for … that’s right all the school activities that their children have signed up for; Woo hoo! I know all you parents are jumping up and down over that one.
So to you my friends and family and family of friends I say take this day as it comes and look not into the true meaning of the word and see instead the spirit of the day. Go out into the world have your end of summer parties and think of poor Labor Day as it has no one identity. Instead it has as many identities as there are jobs that need to be done every day. Sit back enjoy it all pour your beverage of choice and offer up a toast to those that don’t have the day off and are actually laboring on labor day, what a concept. Be they the cashier at your local store where you bought your last minute items or the ground pounder in some far off land working to keep us all safe.