Labor Day Weekend

Happy Labor Day, everybody!  It's the holiday devoted to celebrating the wheels that make our world go 'round!  It just so happens that it's also my Mom's 80th birthday this year -- just a little side note there. 

In the spirit of the holiday, I want to send a little shout-out to all of you (all of us) who labor every day to make it happen.

Thanks to the bagger at the grocery store who kindly puts the eggs on TOP of the canned goods, rather than under them.  You keep the ice display full, you fetch all the carts from the lot (many of which the patrons were too lazy to put in the cart corral), you ask me if I need help out with that, even when all I bought was a gallon of milk.  Or more likely a bottle of wine and a bag of chips, but whatever.

Thanks to every cashier, stocker, baker, butcher, deli worker and produce person.  You put the foods of the world at my fingertips, arranged attractively, and you always ask me when our son will come home from Iraq.  I could kiss you for that.

Thanks to the guy who picks up my trash every Thursday morning.  Very early every Thursday morning.  Even when I forget to roll the dumpster to the curb, you fetch my trash.  I'd be swimming in trash by now if it wasn't for you. 

Thanks to every single teacher who ever had me or one of my children in your class.  I don't know why you didn't beat us clear to pieces with your eraser, but you didn't and now we can all read and write.  And one of us can make change.

Thanks to the phlebotomist at the lab.  You took a blood sample and you did NOT leave a bruise the size of Ohio on my skinny arm.  I don't know how you do that.  Others have tried, and failed.

Thanks to the people who work at the sewer plant.  I'd be swimming in something else besides trash if you were asleep on the job.

Thanks to the United States Military.  (getting a little choked up here.....).  You stand between us and the bad guys of the world, at great cost to your selves.

Thanks to the housekeepers at the motels and hotels.  Does anyone appreciate you?  I do!  I did your job for a brief time, years ago, and it kicked my ass. 

Thanks to the servers at the restaurants.  I did that job, too.  My buns were in better shape, thanks to all the exercise.  I know you put up with a lot.  And I know that 10 nice, normal diners don't always make up for one real a-hole.

Thanks to the migrant farm workers.  I could not afford to buy strawberries, spinach or oranges, if you weren't there to get them to my market. 

Thanks to the rest of the farm workers, too.  You grow food.  I like to eat.  We're a perfect match.

Thanks to the custodians at the schools.  Yours might be the scariest job of all.

There are so many others.  Every person who holds a job, I guess!  Every trade, every profession, every minimum-wage (or even less) job out there.  I do not believe in the idea of a menial job.  Every job is absolutely required.  Well, I haven't figured out exactly why we need professional ball players, but that question is for another time.  If I stop to imagine my life without all of the services, conveniences, necessities, health care, food service, auto-related services, and OH!  What would my life be like without the people who make tortilla chips?  Or cheese?  Gasp!  Or coffee, tea and WINE?  It's too frightening to consider. 

So thank you, to each and every person who goes to work, or works from home.  You are the salt of the earth.