Tomorrow is Labor Day, the day of celebration of the American worker. Summer may begin June 21st and end September 23rd, but the unofficial beginning is Memorial Day and the unofficial end is Labor Day. The school year used to begin right after Memorial Day and start back right before Labor Day but that, like so many things that seem normal, has gone the way of the dodo. Many of us will take an extended weekend to the mountains or the beach, have a family cookout or simply take it easy and enjoy a day off before hitting the grind again Tuesday. And I will be one of those hitting the grind.
I have worked every year of my life since I was sixteen years old, save for one when I was seventeen, when it was determined that I would be better served taking a math class in summer school rather than honing my petroleum transfer skills, which were cultivated the previous summer. My parents and teachers seemed to think that the more math classes I took, the better I would understand it, which was not the case. It only seemed to confuse me even more.
I have had a number of different jobs other than in the field of petroleum transfer, including custodial engineering, warehouse inventory control, German automotive repair and homeowner enamel and latex covering application. The last one was the absolute worst and was the point where I decided it was time to go back to school.
I have always loved to work. I truly believe that it what sustains us and defines us. I have been blessed with a long and fruitful career using the skills I was given and what I went to school to learn to do. I am very fortunate at this stage of my life to have a good job with a good company and good benefits. But I have also made enough trips around the sun to where the end of the line is visible on the distant horizon. A number of friends and colleagues are retiring or planning to do so. I am in the beginning phases of getting my ducks in a row. I have not reached Medicare age yet, but I’m now being bombarded with phone calls from companies, which are most probably less than reputable, trying to sell me supplemental insurance. Does anybody ever really respond to any of those phone calls?
When you are younger, you never really think about retirement, outside of hitting the lottery. As recently as two or three years ago I never really thought much about it. It seemed so far off and besides, I wasn’t really sure if I would be able to do so. But I realize now that, with the good Lord willing, I will indeed be able to and maintain the manner to which we have become accustomed. Hopefully I will never really retire. I pray that I will always be able to find something to occupy the days I have left on the third rock. I am hoping for enough time to spend with Jackie and on my creative endeavors and projects around the house. Until then, I will continue to rise early each day and work the tasks before me. And I will try to do the best job I possibly can with a thankful spirit and a joyful heart. That is the dream and that is the plan. But we all know about the plans of mice and men. Happy Labor Day, everyone!