On this day, we should remember the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.
“When I was in Montgomery, Alabama, I went to a shoe shop quite often, known as the Gordon Shoe Shop. And there was a fellow in there that used to shine my shoes, and it was just an experience to witness this fellow shining my shoes. He would get that rag, you know, and he could bring music out of it. And I said to myself, ‘This fellow has a Ph.D. in shoe shining.
What I’m saying to you this morning, my friends, even if it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, go on out and sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures; sweep streets like Handel and Beethoven composed music; sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry; sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well.
If you can’t be a pine on the top of a hill
Be a scrub in the valley—but be
The best little scrub on the side of the hill,
Be a bush if you can’t be a tree.
If you can’t be a highway just be a trail
If you can’t be the sun be a star;
It isn’t by size that you win or fail—
Be the best of whatever you are.” – Martin Luther King Jr
“A hundred times every day, I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.” – Albert Einstein
Happy Labour Day! Labour day is celebrated in many developing countries on May 1st with a holiday and special events. If you are celebrating today, Kectil celebrates with you!
Labour Day originated with the labour union movement that originally advocated for better conditions and pay for workers, and in many countries still do. We commemorate those individuals who have been brave enough to expose unjust working conditions and demand appropriate pay and reasonable hours and paid leave where necessary. On Labour Day, we should all be sensitive to unfair exploitation of workers as well as workers who go to other countries to get employment to take care of their families, and then are treated to hostile conditions.
On this day, we would like to share a few facts about this day with you.
Did you know it began in Chicago? The holiday originated in Chicago in 1886 as a protest in support of an eight-hour workday where thousands of labourers around the country took to the streets.
It also goes by the name International Workers’ Day. In some countries, such as Ethiopia, South Africa, and Brazil, the public holiday is referred to as International Worker’s Day or just Worker’s day. The theme of this year’s holiday is “Uniting Workers for Social and Economic Advancement”.
As we celebrate this labour day, we would like to reflect on the words of Nelson Mandela, “There is no passion to be found playing small in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”