The Dash -


I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.
             He referred to the dates on the tombstone
                    from the beginning - to the end.

             He noted that first came the date of his birth
                and spoke of the second with tears.
              But, he said, what mattered most
                was the dash (-) between those years.

For that dash represents all the time that was spent alive on earth,
               And now only those who loved him
                   know what that dash 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.
              (You could be in the “mid-dash range”.)

If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real.
     And always try to understand how 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 is being read....
                   with your life’s actions to rehash....
          Would you be pleased with the things they say
                          about how you spent............
                                 your dash?



                               Author Unknown