On this U.S. holiday of Labor Day, thoughts are coming to me of what my ancestors did to come to America to work. My maternal side of the family has a longer history in the US than my paternal side. The tracings that I have are that my Great Great Grandparents travelled across the country from New York to Wisconsin, in a covered wagon. Somewhere I have a photo of that - I'll have to post it when I unpack that box! They built a beautiful log home, and brought with them many fineries in that wagon. Yet they toiled hard to make their life work. Just thinking of the thrill of leaving and going out into the world with no true idea of where one would land is exciting to me. I think I inherited those genes!
My Great Grandfather, maternal side, was a builder. Hmmm...more inherited genes? My Mother has records of who owed him what during the Depression, and she reminds me that he was kind and not demanding of people for payments. Apparently my Great Grandmother was also a self starter, and she was involved in direct sales - imagine! This, too, must be in my blood with my love of
Celadon Road, the organic, sustainable, fair trade products that I bring to the world.
My maternal Grandfather was an electrician early on in his career, then became a minister in midlife. It is interesting that my own Father was also an electrical engineer, and, that through Building (Bau) Biology, my focus for many years has been on the electro-magnetic radiation. Whew...this is getting eerie - can it possibly be just coincidence that all this background has merged into what I pursue today in my own work?
Paternally, my Grandparents were the first of their family to come to the U.S.. Sent here, without their family, by their parents, at a young age. I believe my Grandmother was barely a teenager when they married and she started having children (while working!). Her life was more challenging than my other set of Grandparents, having 8 children (losing 1 at a young age), working, cooking, and a husband who also worked. They both worked in factories, and toiled long and hard. I can hardly imagine what thoughts they had of work. I think what kept them going was family. Work was just a means to an end.
Today we live in a country where people still give up much to come to and live the American Dream. Many Americans are wondering just what happened to their own dream. I always believe that things happen for a reason. It seems to me that what has happened economically in our country created a realignment of values. The happiest people that I know are those that appreciate everything that comes to them in their lives. Including their jobs. Which brings me back to today. Today let's honor all who work, and want to work. Be thankful for what you have and help out your fellow American when you can. Happy Labor Day!
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