My First Labour Day

Today is my first 'actual' Labour Day.
Before, i celebrate Labour Day because my parents and teachers do.
They are workers and labourers which means they are entitled to get a break on that day.
While i was just a kid who happens to be a bird on a bull's back.

But today is different.

Today i get to seat around doing nothing (except for washing the clothes), play the Internet, no worries for homeworks, nothing!
It's just the joy and the feeling of being appreciated.
After days and hours of tiring jobs and people, today is the day where workers are shown the gratitude by the government and of course by their respective employers.

I did some reading and i found out that not all the countries in the world celebrates Labour Day on May 1st.
In the US, Labour Day falls on the first Monday of September.
In New Zealand, this holiday falls on fourth Monday of October. (they sure hate Mondays...)

Everything has its own origins and history.
As for Labour Day, it originates from the eight hour day movement, 'which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation and eight hours for rest' - Wikipedia.
It all started in 21st April 1856, where the Stonemasons and the building workers on buiding sites around Melbourne, Australia, stopped working and marched in a parade from the University of Melbourne to the Parliament House to achieve the 'eight hour day'.
Fortunately, this direct protest was a great success and the Stonemasons and building workers of Melbourne are noted as the first organised workers to achieve eight hours per day of working.
This event inspired the celebration of Labour Day or also known as the May Day.

This is truly a good feeling for me.
I have been a worker for only two months,but somehow i feel delighted on this day.
Because as a worker, i get to feel how our parents and teachers felt.
How exhausted they are coming back from work.
How intense was their day.
How many problems their encountered.
How they cracked their heads to solve them.
I felt that all!

This day got me thinking. And made me realise.
Right now if i step out of the house and go to the nearest mamak stall, i'd find these mamaks running around serving the customers.
How are these guys being appreciated?
They get the scoldings from us.
We will never know how it feels like to work 12, 13, 14, 15 hours a day like them.
But they are also workers.
Yes it is true they should feel grateful being able to work in this glorious nation.
But we also in return should respect them for their courage and willingness.
Leaving wives and children thousands of miles away just to work for 15 hours a day.

Please understand how workers feel.
Greet your parents when they get back from work.
Respect your senior colleagues for their experience.
For these generators of the nation strives to ensure the continuity and productivity of family and country.
For workers, are human beings too.