How do you live your dash?

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came her birth
And spoke of the following date with tears.
But he said what mattered most,
Was the dash between those years (1900-1970).
For that dash represented all the time
That she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash;
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down long enough
To consider what’s true and real,
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a while.

So when your eulogy’s being read
With your life’s actions to rehash,
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

©1999 Linda Ellis

Received this in my inbox today from Wan Cheng. Certainly thought provoking. Well, I don’t know how I’ll spent my dash yet, but I do know of someone who lives with a Dash. My son!!!

I just caught a glimpse of him napping with his Incredible t-shirt! He’s just so crazy about Dash. It’s a love-hate relationship! On one hand, he must have the picture and the T-shirt of Dash near him. Otherwise, he would whine non-stop. He would even bring “Dash” to the toilet to do his business, big or small. On the other hand, he would not want to look at the picture directly, and would try to hide it behind the door, in my pocket, or under his pillow.

His behaviour is really eccentric, and I can’t fathom what goes behind that two and a half year-old mind…..But it’s very endearing and I suppose that’s the joy kids can bring to us - which is really priceless.