Tomorrow is Labor Day in the United States. It’s a day in which its relevance has changed significantly since it was first officially celebrated in 1882. It began as an industrial age idea, when the concept of work was very different from now. Back in the latter portion of the nineteenth century, folks were fighting for the very things we now take for granted like the eight-hour workday, better workplace safety regulations, and child labor laws. We need to give thanks to these individuals and their struggles; if not from them, it’s likely that we would not be able to walk our own path of soulful work.

I’d like to suggest that we re-envision Labor Day and approach it as a reflective moment that can fulfill more of it’s potential in our current age. Rather than think about labor (which honestly doesn’t have the greatest connotation), consider work as a means of releasing our own unique purpose into the world. In this way, work no longer is tied exclusively to whether it is done for economic means. It could be volunteering at a battered women’s shelter. It could be pursuing a hobby like gardening, woodworking, or painting. It could be sharing your ideas through a blog.

On Labor Day, consider what gifts you can give through your work. And don’t be afraid to play a little, too. After all – like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup – work and play are two great tastes that taste great together.

Happy Soulful Work Day!

Update 09.03.2007: Rosa Say has a great dream for what a Soulful Work day might be…
I will know that the Hawaiian value of Ho‘ohana has caught on in the world, when the way that people celebrate Labor Day dramatically changes: It no longer will be a day off, but a day that everyone wants to be at work as a statement of the joy it brings them.