The Dash
I read of a man that stood to speak
At a funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on his headstone
From the beginning to the end.
He noted that first came the date of birth
And spoke of the following date with tears,
But he said, what mattered most of all
Was the "dash" between those years.
For that "dash" represents all the time
That he was alive on earth...
And now only those who loved him,
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 would like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
And where we are within that "dash".
If we could just slow down enough
To consider whats true and real,
And try always to understand
The way other people feel.
To be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
Mostly to love people in our lives
Like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect,
And wear a smile more often...
Remembering that this special "dash"
Might only last a little while.
So when your eulogy's being read
And your life's actions rehashed...
Would you be proud of what is said
About how you spent your "dash"?
~author unknown~
