Labor Day 2017

Thia is the view across the street from the mansion

I’ve been trying to find time to write while Labor Day is still fresh on my mind.  It was a beautiful day, not to hot with a balmy breeze that kept everyone comfortable while we enjoyed our annual Labor Day Parade.  As you may know the name of my blog is Under the Maples and that is where I was sitting while the parade went marching by. A couple dozen others, our family’s invited guests, were also there enjoying the festivities from the cool green lawn rather than hot sidewalks.    

It’s a quiet old town, founded in 1854, with a wonderful old downtown historic district that dates back to the late eighteen hundreds or early nineteen hundreds. Fortunately, most of these historic, turn of the last century, buildings are occupied with a variety of tenants and most are 110 years old or older.  The lovely old home we own, under the Maples, is even older and celebrated 147 years recently. It, too, is on the historic register and was built in 1870, only five years after the Civil War, 1861-1865. The Civil War that was anything but civil as Americans fought with each other over the destiny of the country which was not even a sovereign nation at the time. 

A lot has happened since then both good and bad and, at this moment, our nation seems to be very divided again. However, I don’t wish to digress, and want to focus on Our Labor Day parade. It is the oldest parade in the state of Indiana and always has over a hundred entrants who participate in making Labor Day special in our town and bring in folks from surrounding communities.

HERE COMES THE PARADE
The siren blows, the Grand Marshall comes into view and, the next thing you know, here comes the parade!  A parade lead by our big bright red firetrucks, followed by rescue units and an ambulance filled with our hometown heroes waving at the folks that they serve so well?  Our trucks are followed by many other firetrucks and rescue units from neighboring fire departments and everyone watching seems to realize how blessed we are to live in small towns that have wonderful volunteers who keep their communities safe.

Lowell is located on the south edge of Lake County with more industrialized towns and townships to the North but, we have always been a farming community and the farmland and farm towns just to the South, west, and east of us prove our claim. As a farming community we always have our share of entrants with old tractors from by gone days. The enthusiastic collectors have put tons of restoration dollars and time into the beautiful old tractors they love showing off.  Old cars are also very popular as their proud owners drive by waving and allowing us to peek at their beautifully restored vintage automobiles.

The parade keeps coming and we whistle and cheer our Lion’s Club, Knights of Columbus, dance studios, churches, fitness centers and all the other wonderful hometown businesses that take part in making this a special day for all. Added to the mix are the Mexican dancers and equestrians in traditional native gear.  Sponsored by our Mexican Restaurant owner, they are our neighbors and share some of their lively and festive heritage with us on Labor Day.

One of the entrees I was looking forward to seeing this year was from Mommy’s Haven. This is up close and personal for me since my granddaughter-in-law was very instrumental in helping establish this safe place for pregnant girls who do not wish to have an abortion but to keep their babies and learn how to care for them.  The first Mommy’s Haven house is being built right now across from the mansion. It warms the heart to think of the many young women, through the coming years, who will be blessed by this place of hope for the future of both mother and child. 

With all of that said, and as much as I enjoyed it all, I think the part of the parade that really stood out in my mind and captured some part of me I have trouble verbalizing were the small army of marchers who build America and keep her strong. We had hundreds of Union members marching and standing strong for the professions that are the backbone of our country. I’m referring to the United Steelmakers, Boilermakers, Carpenters, Electricians, Brick Layers, Iron Workers, Pipe Fitters, Teamsters, Auto Workers, Operating Engineers, Heat and Air Conditioning Workers, and many others. They marched proud of their heritage and proud of being a part of middle class America. Middle class America, the behind-the-scenes of corporate America. The CEO wouldn’t have an office without American Laborers and craftworkers. Schools, stores, hotels and retreats wouldn’t exist without their expertise, and no one person is more important than the other.  Some have college educations and some barely made it through high school but through trade schools and apprenticeships became qualified craftworkers.  Others may simply work on a farm and help with the harvest but they are all important to our well being and to our nations success. We are all needed each other because the puzzle is not complete without our piece. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 4:16 “He [God] makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

Great sorrow comes when we are not allowed to play our part. The inner cities and a welfare government that makes people beholden to them while never letting them breath free and excel is part of the problem and needs to change. In the meantime,  should someone who has a college education and a profession believe that makes them more important than someone else? They shouldn’t and it doesn’t.  What it does mean is that they have a different purpose then someone else. On the other hand, should a skilled laborer demean someone with a college education that cannot put a machine together? Of course not.  We all have purpose and it is not for someone else to wipe their feet on us. We are a Republic, not a Democracy, and it is important to respect each other and remember “we are all part of the whole body.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could remember that and not feel the need to elevate ourselves high above someone else? Wouldn’t it be grand if we could be comfortable in our own skins, so to speak, and appreciate the differences we all make.  We all have dreams, but they are not all the same. One guy or gal may want to be a CEO someday while the other dreams of being able to help build a battleship and always remember their part of its success.  Some want to work on sky scrapers while others would prefer both feet on the ground and dream of owning their own piano studio or coffee shop. The list of dreams and possibilities is as long and varied as the imagination will allow us to go and all are important to making the country and our world a better place.

MY "TAKE AWAY"
I guess I digressed again, but I found a wonderful “take away” from our parade. In those two hours I watched the heart and soul of America go by. There was no sense of division and hate but one of unity and pride of our town, our people and our nation.  Those were good seeds sown at the parade and we need to embrace the spirit of that unity. Unity in diversity, a magnificent concept.

I hope you enjoyed this blog and find a “take away” too.  For me, Labor Day was a great day.  Everyone brought a favorite dish and we had an incredible afternoon trying to eat the delicious offerings, playing games and visiting under the Maples.  I must say our group knows how to cook and bake and my heart is warmed by the memories of the day. God bless one and all who read this blog and God bless America.