May 1st

When I was a little girl, I remember making little boquets of flowers to put on the door steps of various people I knew for May Day. I loved that! A little bit of brightness for someone's day. I don't know if it mattered to the people who received the little boquets, but I loved it.

When I lived in Austria, the towns would each erect a May pole, with flowers and streamers. It brought back memories of days gone by when the young people of the town would dance around the maypole in celebration of spring and there would be a big party with all the townsfolk.

When I lived in Germany, I learned of the other side of the first of May. Labour day.
And in many countries over here, there are large demonstrations for fairness of labour, for increases of pay, for venting frustration and anger. Police gear up for what may happen in Berlin, Rome, Paris, London, Athens, etc...

I wish I could go back to when I was a child and thinking that the 1st of May meant flowers and spring. Instead I find myself with tears in my eyes as I read of the happenings in the world around this Labour Day.

But we do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16