"Oh Lord help me, it can't be Monday again, already?"
"Someday I'll get some rest, I hope."
"Just 22 years, 4 months and 3 days till retirement. Will I ever make it?"
The first Monday in September is observed as Labor Day. This is the last long weekend of summer and the signal of school beginning for many across our country. This holiday commemorated to remember the accomplishments of working people in the USA poses an opportunity for husbands and wives everywhere. It is an opportunity to say, "Thanks." Thanks to our spouses for the dutiful and faithful commitment they display day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, to jobs providing an income for the marriage and family. A spouse may be in the best position to know what it costs their husband or wife physically, mentally, and emotionally to be productive out in the world so there is a home, food on the table, and cars to drive. The benefits of simple hard work are too easily dismissed, and in a marriage the benefits provided by each spouse's work can easily be taken for granted.
Many married people, men and women, consider their work and the income it provides for their spouse and family as an expression of their love and commitment. How sad for this to go unnoticed. When was the last time you told your spouse how much you appreciated the responsibility and commitment they display through providing for you and the family. For some this may be a very sore spot in the relationship. Men and women have expectations of themselves and one another regarding how significant a contribution each should make to a household income. Add to these expectations are the seemingly never ending conflicts about how the income generated by each spouse should be spent.
Is it possible in all our wrestling with each other about money and how it is used we fail to appreciate the sacrifice and diligence expressed by our spouse in their being faithful to their job? What about those individuals who are faithful to a job that is not particularly fulfilling personally but they remain committed because the income provides well for a marriage and family. In all our promotion and celebration of finding purposeful and personally fulfilling employment do we fail to appreciate those who work simply to provide for their families first, putting their own personal fulfillment secondary to providing a home and lifestyle for spouse and children. Shouldn't it count that a mother or father works dutifully day after day, sometimes working overtime so that the family can enjoy a comfortable lifestyle? Somehow these sacrifices go unnoticed and unappreciated.
To be sure working to provide for an ever increasing consumerist lifestyle at some point sacrifices the integrity of family relationships. The possession of things and status can wind up replacing relationship values. But, there is a point where every husband and wife must establish, "This is what we must do to achieve and maintain the lifestyle we have set for ourselves." To complicate matters the lifestyle goals we set for ourselves seem to always be growing in expense. Inflation, market fluctuations for goods and services, trends in values of property and other investments, all seem to make, "what it takes to make it" always changing. For many, never mind improving lifestyle, just maintaining lifestyle seems a constant battle.
These challenges are met every day by husbands and wives who love each other and their children. Labor Day can be an occasion to turn to ones mate and somehow say, "Thanks." Comments like, "I know you had to give up some fun stuff these last few months so we could catch up on some bills. I want you to know I really appreciate it." Or, "You work so hard between your job, the stuff around the house and what I and the kids ask for. I know we wouldn't have what we have if you didn't hang in there every day with your job."
So, how about it? If you're reading this and an idea drops in your head to tell your spouse how much you appreciate their "Labor" this Labor Day. Go ahead, tell them. You might just create a moment that makes it all worth while.
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Credit: dating-coach-anita.blogspot.com
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