Work is good

Labor Day has come and gone, but memories of it still linger in my mind. We were sitting at the picnic table on Labor Day and Marge commented that here we were working pretty much all day and others were taking the day off. So eventually we got to talking about what we used to do as families on Labor Day when growing up, and we couldn't remember. Knowing Dad, we probably went fishing. Might have gone to Three Corners, down to the dam or maybe up to Sand Pudding. But we probably went to some lake somewhere.

Where we grew up on ranches in Nebraska, there was still work to do. Some things had to be done regardless of what day it was. We had milk cows, so they had to be milked, the milk separated into cream and skim milk. And then the hogs had to be slopped. Eggs had to be gathered and chickens fed. Might have to check the water for the cattle to make sure there was enough. These were chores that were daily even on special days like Labor Day or Christmas or whenever.

Many had to work this past Labor Day. Firemen or police or soldiers, and the list goes on. Really they don't have a choice. Some choose to work but not out of necessity. Some restaurants closed, but many were still open. Same with grocery stores. Many could have closed but chose to stay open. I liked how many shut their doors Saturday at noon and opened back up Tuesday morning. Kind of neat. Most of the stores that closed were Mom and Pop type stores. Small restaurants or hardware stores or coffee shops closed.

Kind of like stores or shops that choose to close on Sunday. Shouldn't be a big deal. In our area, we have grocery stores that are open 24/7 as well as eateries. Hardware stores are open from morning to late at night. Some gas stations are open virtually 24/7 as well. I believe we can all get by without a chicken sandwich on Sunday. Might be a good day to do some home cooking or grilling.

I don't think work hurt anyone, but I do believe lack of work ruins some. I grew up working and so did Marge. We didn't have a choice nor did we want to just lie around. I pumped gas at a full-service gas station as well as worked for a local farmer while attending college and taking a bunch of hours each semester. I remember taking four- and five-hour classes one semester and still working. Not easy, but it can be done.

Same with our boys. Even when Marge and I were in school, we worked. When we lived in Bartlesville, Marge and I worked at least 40 hours a week on top of going to school. Same in Wilmore, Kentucky. I worked 26 hours every weekend on the horse farm plus construction-type work during the week. Marge worked at McDonald's for a while and then secretarial work at a big church. But in addition we cleaned Stonewall Wesleyan Church weekly and a local bank daily. Our boys helped do the cleaning. I don't know that our working influenced our boys' work ethic, but I have suspicion that it did.

What I've noticed is that parents who work normal type jobs have kids who work, unless the kids are allowed to just lie around. Makes me wonder if a work ethic isn't learned. Most of the people who are my age grew up in a non-technical age when manual labor was required. There definitely weren't any self-checkout lanes back then or scanners or Keurig's and such. Everything was pretty much done by hand the old fashioned way.

Dad talked about getting an automatic milking machine, but we didn't have the barn nor the ability to use one. All our tractors had points and a condenser and a rotor and a cap. When the carburetor needed cleaning, it was simple enough to do it ourselves. When you add the agricultural element back then, it was a unique place and time to grow up. Today we have a very technical culture with almost no tie to the land and agriculture. There are so many tasks that took manual labor back when I was little that are partially if not totally done by machines.

Some today simply don't want to work. I don't really know why. It seems like everywhere Marge and I go there are help wanted signs. Some, no doubt, are skilled positions, but I'm betting many are for entry level workers with little if any experience. I don't know what the answer is.

I do believe it would do young people today good to mow some yards, work in a garden, bottle feed some calves, fix fence, haul small square bales and a thousand other tasks. Do something where you work up a good sweat. Many farms or orchards or small businesses need workers. Maybe do an apprentice type job which could lead to a career. Maybe push attending a vocational type school which could lead to an apprentice position.

Some have suggested requiring everyone to spend a couple years in the service. Not a bad idea. Those who would go through a couple of years in the Army or Navy or Marines or the other branches would definitely learn how to take orders and obey. They'd learn how to get up in the morning and probably be ready to go to bed by evening.

As a country, we owe a lot to the workers back through the years. Those who built the railroads and the roads. Those who built the ships and those who explored the world. I think of the coal miners who dug coal to power a nation and the factories. We owe a debt of gratitude to the parents and grandparents who maybe did without to provide for the next generation. Also owe a debt of gratitude to those who endeavored and sometimes succeeded in educating countless young boys and girls.

We normally spend Labor Day at the beach or relaxing or partially sober from the celebrating. Be kind of neat to maybe thank those who labored in the past and can't any longer. Those who, at one time, built the cars or raised the cattle or sailed the seas but are too old and healthwise can't.