Each year, it seems like summer passes in the blink of an eye and despite our current situation, this summer is no different. Today marks the start of Labor Day weekend, the 
unofficial send-off to summer. As you let that sobering thought sink in, think about what your morning cocktail will be this weekend. Mine will be made up of a much needed long weekend filled with socially distanced barbecues, drinks and cigars with friends, and no summer holiday is complete without friends and neighbors setting off fireworks! After all, isn’t that what this weekend is all about?
Of course, these activities are the backbone of Labor Day weekend, but don’t forget to celebrate what Labor Day is actually about. This weekend as we spend time with our friends and family toasting to the end of summer, we also celebrate The Labor Movement, which began in the 19th century. Today, we continue to benefit from the contributions those involved in the movement have made, such as shorter working hours, fair pay and child labor laws. The initial advocates of the Labor Movement were heroes, and their early contributions have helped shape where we are today. In turn, today’s environment has created new heroes for us, who will help shape where we are going.
As the summer season winds down and the promise of autumn approaches, Sanjay and I would like to personally toast our clients, partners, and associates here at J2, without whom our success would not be possible and certainly not as meaningful.
“There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.” — Celia Thaxter
CHEERS!
V-
So true, summer always goes by in the blink of an eye, and it is surprising that this summer was no different in that regard, despite how very different it was in all other ways.
I always look forward to fall. Not only is it my favorite season, but the day after Labor Day also marks a new beginning, in some ways more so than even New Year’s Day. With the distractions and temptations of summer behind us, it is energizing and reinvigorating to renew our focus on professional activities, as we head down the home stretch to achieve our 2020 goals and put our plans in place for 2021. I like to call it “back to school for adults.”
“Back to school” does not have quite the same meaning this year; a strange summer gives way to a potentially even stranger fall, and both children and adults are “back” only virtually. But that should not prevent us from refocusing mentally, and approaching autumn excited, optimistic and motivated.