Labor Day Memories

 Labor Day is a time to reflect on the workers who struggled and fought for fair wages and reasonable hours—back when dangerous working conditions meant that people were sometimes injured or even killed on the job.

It is also the unofficial end of summer. Around here, that means less noise, less traffic, fewer people on the beach, and the ability to get into a restaurant again without a long wait. Life at the beach begins to quiet down.

Labor Day also brings back memories of celebrating with my family—the laughter, the pool, the honey ham, and my mother’s potato salad. It meant getting the school uniforms ready and making trips to Target for school supplies. And don’t forget the box of tissues for the classroom!

Then it was early to bed in preparation for the first day of school.

Labor Day carries so many meanings: honoring the people whose struggles improved working life for generations, saying goodbye to another summer, and remembering the family traditions that remain with us long after the holiday has passed.

What are your memories of Labor Day?

 

 

I wrote this poem back when I was a teenager. Even then Labor Day carried a touch of sadness.

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