LABOR DAY CONFESSION – ISSUE NO. 272

I have a confession to make. I am not ashamed to say it - as I am sure that most of the working populace feels the same way... I am a champion for long weekends. Whether self-imposed, or because of a holiday, I relish in the fact that I can stay up late on Sunday night and I can hit the snooze button an extra time or seven on Monday morning. So it will come as no surprise to you that I am very much looking forward to the upcoming Labor Day recess. However, it wasn't until a recent conversation with Matt Smith, did I realize that I don't know why we celebrate Labor Day. I guess I just always thought it was a celebration of the end of summer- an excuse to shorten the workweek. However, after some investigation, we found that it is, in fact, a celebration of the American labor movement and a way to recognize the achievements and contributions made towards bettering the United States. This revelation put things into a much different perspective. It is not merely enough to just celebrate the long weekend, but to understand the reasoning behind it. Just as we value the work the SPD technicians do to ensure the cleanliness of instruments, it is also important to recognize others. From firefighters to plumbers, construction workers to cashiers, and everything in between, let this upcoming weekend be a reminder of all of those who work so diligently to build this great country.