The Dash

[Jude]

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

He noted that first came her date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years. (1934 -2001)

For that dash represents 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.


~Author Unknown~

[MomToBuddha]

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 at "dash mid-range"

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel, and
be less quick to anger,
show appreciation more
and love the people in our life like
we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
more often wear a smile
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little 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?



by Linda Ellis

[Jude]

Wow, it's almost like Paul Harvey "...and now, the rest of the story..."

I'm so glad you were able to finish the story and give credit to the author -- thanks!

[Jude]

*bump*


Just thought I'd bump this thread, as I received something in my Inbox this morning that was related.

Here is an excerpt from:

How to Use What You've Got to Get What You Want by Marilyn Tam


The dash symbolizes our entire lives — the time we have to create meaning for our families, our communities, our countries, the world, and ourselves.

We are the ones responsible for what we do with our lives. We are the ones who will one day look back and determine whether the life we lived was happy and if it was one we were proud to have lived.

Like Abraham Lincoln, we do not know when our lives may end, so we need to ask the question now: "What is the purpose of our lives?" For an individual or a company, the answer to that question determines the mission.

When you think about that dash — the length of your life between your birth and death — what do you want it to say about you? Ask yourself what is most important instead of what is most urgent. What gives you joy and a sense of satisfaction?

These are the big questions that you need to answer in order to proceed in life. Some people find it by taking time to meditate and reflect. Other people find it after encountering some life-threatening incident. And others find it after being hit by some emotional or financial disaster.

The key to finding it is to ask yourself honestly and fearlessly: What really makes you happy? What gives you inner peace?

Ultimately it is the relationships that you make with yourself and with your family and friends you value that is important. Make a commitment to yourself and to your loved ones that you are going to devote your time to what is going to make you happy and proud of your "Dash."

[smkymtngrl]

Wow, what a wonderful poem. How often do we dwell on the things that won't matter at all when we come to the end of this life? Just today, I was busy cleaning my house, doing laundry, and yardwork all day. When I was finally finished, one of my sons dropped crumbs on the kitchen floor :tsktsk: . I got very upset; all my hard work, and now I had something else to clean up. But did it really matter? When I'm looking back on my "dash" will crumbs on the floor make a difference? I don't think so.

Will the fact that some people have material possessions or highly prestigious job titles, etc. matter? Not at all. What matters is that we live and love and do what makes us happy. With all the rushing around we all have to do in society today, this was a good reminder to slow down and think about what is TRULY important.

Which will make me happier- having an immaculate house, or playing with my kids? I'm pretty sure I know the answer!


Thanks, TXJUDE and MomToBuddha! :thumbsup:

[tinkster]

Upon reading "The Dash", it reminded me so-o-o much of a lovely little story entitled "The Lesson, A Fable for Our Times" written by Carol Lynn Pearson.
If anyone's interested, I would be willing to post :cuser: it here in "chapter form".

tinkster :-)

[Phigalilly]

Thanks for bumping this up Jude, I missed it the first time around.

:musicnote

[Jassie]

Thanks Jude and MomToBudda,

This is a great poem to remember.

Cary.:daisy:

[Jeannie]

My sister sent me this today and I thought I had seen it here. This is a nice way to present it - Reminding us to CAV. Hope you enjoy!
http://www.thedashmovie.com/