My memoir writing class I teach at Glenbrooke Senior Living is writing about Labor Day memories this week. Some recall parades, cookouts, last visits to the beach, a welcomed day off, and family gatherings. One remembers his grandfather telling him about labor unions and how important they were at his workplace. They fought hard to get the holiday recognizing their importance to American life as workers.
Many, now, think of it as a day for sales. Others rush off to spend the long weekend with friends and family at a distance. When I researched the topic for ideas, I discovered that there were six times in recent history when hurricanes struck on Labor Day weekend. thankfully, not this year, although an unnamed storm cancelled flights to Texas and Alabama yesterday. It is said that traffic will be heavy on the roads. In this inflationary year, that sort of amazed me, but it’s still cheaper to drive than to fly. Gas prices, (maybe because of the upcoming election–wouldn’t surprise me that they’re manipulated for political gain) are somewhat lower, I noticed. Some are headed for family reunions or last visits to the beach, or for families in the north, the last gasp of summer before school starts tomorrow. Our kids in Florida just finished their third week of classes–four weeks for our kids who are teachers. they’ve already suffered from their beginning-year colds (maybe COVID!–perish the thought).
I remember when I grew up, it was an infrequent day off for Dad. He worked five and a half days a week and brought time cards home to do on Saturday afternoons. He rarely got a day off or gave one to his employees. It’s just the way it was back in the 1940’s and beyond. In that respect, Labor Day was welcome, and it was a day off for him and his employees. It was a federal holiday. Only Christmas and New Years and election day were back then. Fortunately, now there are others, but when I was growing up, this day off for Dad was a bog deal. I think I remember he was laid out on the couch snoring–unusual. He never, it seems, got time to relax.
I honor those who work hard to make our country the place it is. May we thank those who work to make our days pleasant and honor President Grover Cleveland (did he ever do anything else memorable?) for establishing this holiday in 1882.
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