Wednesday, December 1, 2010

...................THE DASH.........................


I love this poem and wanted to share it with you during this Holiday Season. It reminds me of why I was  put on this earth, and what I can do to make a difference. 
The Dash
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 the date of her birth
And spoke 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 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 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 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 little while.
So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life's actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?
                 by Linda Ellis
















1 comment:

  1. I love this. Thanks for reminding me of this poem - it has been a while since I saw it.

    Don't know if you have seen her blog posts or not - its been a while since she last wrote but here is the link
    http://www.lindaellis.typepad.com/

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