Labour Day celebrates the achievements of workers. On this day, we honour workers and their importance to our society. Its origins are in the labour union movement focused on balancing a worker’s day; with eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation and eight hours for rest.
Labour Day acknowledges the value of this work-life balance. This balance can be attention to apportioning equal time to work, recreation and rest. In spiritual terms, balance is about being centred. A fulcrum is a stable midpoint between two equally balanced weights. When we live from our spiritual core (the soul) we live on the fulcrum or centre point. Here, in this state of mind, we are most stable and find we do not tip back and forth and lose our balance.
Labour Day reminds us that nothing, no matter how big or small, is achieved without effort. In fact, the greatness is in the effort. Karma dictates that every action we perform produces a return. One form of spiritual effort is the practice of remembering that we are peaceful beings living in a peaceless world and making an honest effort to live our values practically. The return of this effort is a clean conscience and a trustworthy character. Society benefits from those who make these spiritual endeavours.
When there is love in a task, there is no labour. A story is told of a group of workers with a pile of bricks and mortar. Each was asked what their work was. The first worker said their job was to move the pile of bricks to another location. The second worker said their job was to build a wall. And the third worker said their job was to build a house of worship to honour God. Same bricks, same project, different story. When we genuinely love what we are doing, and it has meaning and value, it does not feel like labour.
This Labour Day let us do what we love or find a way to love what we do. Let us value the work we do, in whatever field, knowing there will always be a return for honest effort. And most of all, let us enjoy the sweetest, simple effort possible for a human soul – to remember God, the One we love. Then we will enjoy the peace, happiness, and love that return to us.
Judy Johnson coordinates the activities of the Brahma Kumaris meditation centre in Halifax, Canada.