As much as I complain about the United States today, I complain because I love this country. I complain because there are things that I see wrong that I know can be better. But I digress.
There are a few traditions I really love with being an American. First and foremost is probably Opening Day for baseball. No, not everybody gets involved in celebrating Opening Day, but for me—and for a lot of baseball fans—Opening Day is practically a holiday. I’ve been lucky over the last few years that Opening Day has either fallen during one of my school breaks or on a weekend. However, I have in the past taken days off from work just so I can go attend that Detroit Tigers home opener.
For me, it’s all in the visuals: the Tigers put up the “bunting,” those heavy red, white, and blue accordion-style ribbons all around the ballpark. No matter how bad the team is, the home opener always sells out, and thousands of people fill downtown for various bars and impromptu tailgates just to take part in the day. For a lot of people, it’s just an excuse to skip work, but for me, it really is the start of the season. Even if it’s not quite warm yet, it’s a reminder that spring—and summer—is just around the corner. “Hope springs eternal,” and every year, even if just for a moment, every Major League baseball fan is convinced their team is going to win the World Series on Opening Day.
Then there’s Labor Day. I love the idea of it, at least in theory. Historically, it’s a day to commemorate the American worker. Unofficially, it’s the end of summer, which in and of itself is a little bit depressing. But I love the idea of organized labor, collective bargaining, and the fact that people fought to get a holiday to honor us, the workers.
As a teacher, I usually begin my school year either right after Labor Day or I’ve already been back for a week or two. And while I know some teachers will plan last-minute trips right up until the holiday, that level of chaos just doesn’t work for me—I need time to decompress before the new year starts. Personally, I try to take Labor Day as easy as possible. I don’t want to bust my butt working outside to the point where I’m sore the next day; maybe I’ll take in a baseball game or just stay home, relax, and enjoy the outdoors.
Without me even really thinking about it until now, these two days actually bookend my year. Opening Day happens in late March or early April, and at that point, you know you’re finally in the homestretch of the school year. And Labor Day is the official wind-down—the nights start getting a little crisper, the sun goes down earlier every day, and the season closes out. They are the unofficial start and end markers of everything warm and green.
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The article “Bookends: From Opening Day to Labor Day” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob.
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