Non-Labor Day
Image credit: Joe Daly
Labor Day always feels like such a strange concoction of a holiday—a day ostensibly dedicated to rest, yet usually spent in the midst of frenzied gatherings and raucous, beer-soaked celebrations. I’m by no means a knee-jerk contrarian but I tend to avoid Labor Day blowouts with the enthusiasm of a small village escaping a tidal wave. This year I have again elected to forego the surging end-of-summer debauchery erupting across my town and to instead plant myself here in my humble abode, joined in faithful solidarity by my dogs. Even as sirens blare in the distance as I type this very sentence, here in our home, the levels of bliss are entering historic proportions.
I love my town, with its golden coastline and eclectic brunch spots, to itty bitty pieces. And there’s an undeniable allure to the bustling beaches, the sizzling barbecues and those rowdy parties packed with sunburnt Arizonans desperately gasping the final breaths of summer. But for yours truly, the true art of existence flourishes here, surrounded by comfy couches, an oversized television and an array of musical instruments easily in reach.
Zoe and Abby, loyal and unyielding, seem to understand the profound wisdom of this chosen solitude. As I sprawl on my couch, pointing the remote aimlessly at the television, they curl up on the other end, offering a companionship that requires no words—only the warmth of their presence and the rhythm of their breath. It’s a happy little bond forged in the fires of idleness and contentment.
As the universe swirls and expands with equal parts chaos and majesty, within these walls, we are free from the grasp of any laws but gravity, committed in our sedentary rebellion against the societal pressures to constantly produce and consume and to film every fucking moment of one’s existence for the dull-eyed dopamine-heads of social media.
So here's to Labor Day at home — a day of liberation from the chains of productivity and a celebration of the audacious act of doing nothing in a world that demands everything.