This weekend we celebrate Labor Day to honor all Americans who labored to hopefully make this country a better place in which to live and, in doing so, promised a better life for their families.

The Webster’s dictionary defines labor as physical or mental work, toil, that which requires effort for its accomplishments. The same word is used to describe a woman who travails in childbirth – she labors to give life.

The analogy is much like a mother giving birth. She so labors to see the fruit of her labor – a baby who, if cared for, loved, and nurtured properly, will mature into a productive, responsible person.

In the last eight days, two of my granddaughters labored to give birth to Jeanne and I’s 13th and 14th great grandchildren.

Monique Roth (Frank) were blessed with their third daughter, Caroline, and Amanda Jones (Joseph) gave birth to their first child, a girl, Everleigh.

I have no doubt that the Roths and Joneses will care for, love and nurture their children to be productive and responsible young girls.

The first settlers in America labored long and hard with only one common goal – to give birth to a new, free nation. The early colonists fled England because they were not free.

Because of this unity, their efforts were not in vain. They labored unselfishly and sacrificed to give birth to a new country.

Today, we have benefited from their labor and enjoy what is now known as “these United States of America.”

Their only motive was to be free and make life better for themselves and for the generations that would follow.

America has come a long way since those early years. Special interest groups and individuals have fought for their own personal agenda, with little or no regard for others.

As we reflect this Labor Day on the motives of the early settlers as they worked together to give birth to this country, let’s all decide to recapture the spirit that our founding fathers had, which is one unselfish nation, under a loving God, with conservative liberties and pure justice for all.

If you have any questions or comments, please write Harold Keller at Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084; call 985-652-8477; or e-mail hkeller@comcast.net.