Prayers for May 1 Holidays

So, how will you be celebrating this first day of May?  Will you weave ribbons around a Maypole?  Will you go to a demonstration in favor of worker's rights?  Will you bring a bouquet of flowers into the house?  Will you sing "Solidarity Forever" or "L'Internationale"?

I will be on the motorcycle with my spouse, so that we can do the Spring POAT (Police Officers Assistance Trust) ride; it raises money for the fund, which helps officers and their families who need help for various reasons.  I like riding in a big group, especially with the police going along to stop traffic and give us the right of way.

It's not a traditional way of celebrating May 1.  I should have gone out before daylight to leave flowers on doorsteps and such.  So, as we make our way to the Keys, I will look for flowers that are growing in nature, and say a prayer of appreciation.

I will also say a prayer for all the workers across the globe, many (most?) of them who are working in conditions that are far from fully safe: the worker who sews those clothes in those factories, who grows the food we eat, who ships all of our goods to us.  It's a good day to think about who cleans up our workplaces after we're gone for the day.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about meaningful work and what I'd like to do with the second half of my life.  It's a good day to be grateful that I have the luxury to do that, and to say a prayer for those who don't have that freedom.

We could also say a prayer for workers of the future.  We are at the point for many schools when students must put down a deposit to secure their space for fall.  What will they study?  What career fields will exist for them that we can't even imagine now?

I will also say a prayer for those who are creating something today.  If you need inspiration, try this:  can you create something that weaves these strands together?  Here are some possibilities:  a sculpture made out of ribbons that explores the world of migrant workers.  A poem that celebrates flowers and contemplates the ways that we love some blooms (flowers) but not others (algae, cancer).  A painting that uses weaving in some ways to think about the past century of efforts to enlarge the workplace and make it safer.

We are close to halfway through the year.  As I sit on the bike, appreciating the natural beauty all around me, I will also think about my goals for the year.  How do I need to change my trajectory so that I can be on track?  Are there new goals that I need to add?

So, in whatever way we decide to celebrate, I hope today is a joyous one.