The Laborious Tension of Labor

I’ve had a lifetime struggle with LABOR. My reasons vary. Some manifest from legitimate concerns related to quality of human life and the obvious pay gap between worker and owner, while others stem from, well, laziness and a desire to avoid pain (I.e., have fun).

I come from hard working, blue collar families where long hours and heavy labor employment was the norm. I’m proud of that heritage, yet I also can’t help but think I’ve lost something from that hyper-focus on work, namely quality time with loved ones. Yet, I understand the pressure of a man/woman to provide for his/her family and the national pride of building and maintaining a strong, American infrastructure.

Personally, I have related work with purpose and making an impact in the world. My purpose has never been about infrastructure or building wealth (although the former is crucial and the latter provides comfort and security). Instead, I have been drawn to the vulnerable citizens of the world; those who often get tangled up in the politics and financial ambitions of a few. I can honestly say Inhave labored to help these populations.

I know a few of you are saying to yourself, “Get over it! Work hard and shut up.!” I get that, I do, but I often wonder if we could balance labor and life a bit more, namely more life and less labor. I don’t believe this argument is a false choice or dichotomous; rather I think those who work too much should work less and spend more time with loved ones, and those who don’t work enough should work more to avoid idleness, which is usually not good for an individual and/or a family.

I am aware that there are a variety of opinions, convictions, and values related to this subject. I don’t claim to have the right argument, but I think it a legitimate one. I’d love to hear how each of you view labor and/or whether or not a change in perspective about labor is needed. Or you can simply tell me that I’m a babbling idiot and I need to just work more! Regardless, happy Labor Day.