Labor Day's True Meaning

"Labor Day is an American federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September (September 3 in 2012) that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers."  This definition was taken from  http://www.wikipedia.org/  and is a pretty concise description of what Labor Day is supposed to be about.

Most people seem to identify Labor Day as the final day to travel to shore points, mountain resorts, casinos, or other recreational areas based on where you reside.  The day has also become a huge event for shopping malls, big box stores, and even automotive dealerships.  Traffic jams abound later in the day as thousands of motorists try to rush back home to begin the school and/or work week on Tuesday morning.

It seems to me that Labor Day has quickly become another meaningless holiday soon to be followed by Thanksgiving if retailers get their way.  Do you ever stop to think about where we would be if our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents had not worked tirelessly to put food the dinner table or provide for their children's education?  The U.S. Department of Labor has created an informative  webpage, http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm which I encourage you to view.  If you happen to patronize a retail store or restaurant, hand over tolls to a highway toll collector, purchase gasoline, pick up prescriptions at your pharmacy, or conduct business on Labor Day with anyone at all, please remember to thank them for their hard work and dedication!