About the photograph
Wyonegonic Camps in Denmark Maine was established in 1902. The barn I photographed where the horses live is the first structure, I'd see each time I drove into the camp roads. The barn is an American tradition because it embodies the strength, courage, and unity of the people who built their barns and communities.
The old worn barn on the left I photographed in Wisconsin. It was a working farm. The red barn is more modern, painted the traditional red. It was photographed in Flower Mound, TX and has a very different roof. Since I didn't see any farm animals or crops, I am guessing the barn is used for some other purpose. My guess is the red barn was built by a builder and not the people in the community.
About Labor Day
The first Monday in September, Labor Day is a U.S. national holidays. It has been symbolic for the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year. But the truth is, historically, the celebration of Labor Day has a deeper meaning.
Something worth pondering
A Quote on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of National History in Washington D.C. stopped me in my tracks one day. It read:
"All who work seriously Celebrate Labor Day. Whether man or woman, whether you wear a white collar or overalls, if you put the best of your head, heart and hands into your daily task, then this great National Holiday celebrates you."
Which leads me back to barns
Barns were the most important asset to farmers because it housed and protected farm animals or stored crops and machinery. The community pitched in to build a barn wisely. Early pioneers depended on barns to survive. They used their heads, hearts, and hands to work together to achieve goals.
Work! Work! Work!
I never doubted the concept of working for a living and began working at age 13. Before my 16th birthday, my employer was notified by the Labor Department that I was too young to work. Therefore, I was let go but within days I started working elsewhere. Work was a natural expectation for me and others my age.
Celebrating Labor Day
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.
The pandemic changed everything. So many people didn't work, couldn't work, chose not to work, or they worked. Which leads me back to that quote I read at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and title for this blog post - Do you Deserve to Celebrate Labor Day?
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