Labor Day – Celebrating Hard Work and Relaxing on the Suncoast

Today we are celebrating Labor Day, which of all the holidays in a given calendar year is the one celebrating hard work. That is right this holiday was fashioned to celebrate the labor of early Americans. Good old-fashioned hard-working people that helped found this country that we live in with hard work in unions, factories, and the like. Sure, most of us hate the thought of hard labor for good reason, especially when it comes to the blistering elements here in Florida. But, the fact is without these various tradesmen, factory unions of old that helped build America’s infrastructure, transportation, and even our very homes, we would not be the country that we are today.

History of the Holiday

According to Wikipedia, Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September in any given year (i.e., a single day from September 1 through September 7) to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States. Oregon was surprisingly the first state to make it a public holiday, and in 1894 when it was promoted to a federal holiday, thirty states had already adopted this day once a year in celebration of the hard work so many put in every day.

Labor Day is called the “unofficial end of summer” because it marks the end of the cultural summer season. Many take their two-week vacations during the two weeks ending Labor Day weekend. In addition, many fall activities, such as school and sports, begin about this time. While we on the Suncoast have, for the most part, already returned to school this year, this long weekend is a welcome reprieve for families to take time to be together for picnics, long weekend trips, and the like.

Labor Day 2020 – 2021

Labor Day traditionally has been well celebrated with large music festivals, events, and family gatherings. Of course, like all things in our world, this holiday has been pared back due to COVID-19. That does not mean that this well-intentioned holiday for a break for hardworking individuals cannot be appreciated nonetheless. We are fortunate to have many national parks, beaches, bodies of water for kayaking, and such that even socially distanced, we can find reasons to get out and enjoy the long Labor Day weekend.

Many might say with layoffs, virtual schooling, guaranties, and even new threats driving people back to masks and social distancing, there is nothing to celebrate. But, in all honesty, the same ingenuity that drove early innovations, labor, and building of this country is still moving us forward in this time of crisis. We see service providers and others continuously evolving in this trying time to forge a new reality for all of us. They are finding efficient ways to deliver goods and services to us without gathering in stores and restaurants.

Many individuals work harder than ever trying to remote work to earn an income while teaching children that must remain home for a host of reasons and attempt virtual learning. Some have had to switch careers mid-stream as the pandemic hard-hit companies in various sectors and do so while caring for sick individuals and their own health. And every one of us is learning a new normal and how to best pivot and thrive in this new reality that was thrust upon us. If we ever needed just a day to catch our breaths and have a little downtime – this Labor Day Holiday weekend might be it.

So, if you can gather a small group of friends for an outside barbeque or include those far away on screens to the party. Frontline workers like nurses, doctors if possible can put their feet up with a glass of wine on the beach and just take a breath. Factory workers that are back trying to get goods and services out to all of us, enjoy a moment just to enjoy the weather and the ones you love. Together, we will continue to rebuild toward our new normal of tomorrow and innovate, create, and work hard to recover from the obstacles put in front of us, but for this one day, let’s celebrate all that we have accomplished with a small respite.

HAPPY LABOR DAY, SUNCOAST!

Photos Courtesy of Deposit Photos