Not all of us have the day off on Labor Day. It’s not as festive as Christmas or as colorful as the Fourth of July.

But whether or not you plan on celebrating this week’s national holiday, I hope that you have an enjoyable Labor Day weekend!

According the U.S. Department of Labor, Labor Day “constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”

It’s a day to recognize the value of hard work, a day to commend those who have sacrificed time and comfort in order to make life better for their families and their country.

I just found out that Canadians celebrate a similar holiday. It happens on the same day as our holiday (the first Monday in September), but it’s spelled a little differently. (If you are from Canada, Happy Labour Day!)

Here are quotes about the value of labor from people who were known for their exceptional work.

“Make your work to be in keeping with your purpose.”
― Leonardo da Vinci

“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”
― Albert Einstein

“If we all did the things we are really capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.”
― Thomas A. Edison

“The humblest tasks get beautified if loving hands do them.”
― Louisa May Alcott

“Hide not your talents, they for use were made,
What’s a sundial in the shade?”
― Benjamin Franklin

“I find out what the world needs. Then I go ahead and try to invent it.”
― Thomas A. Edison

“If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all.”
― Michelangelo