Your Dash

As I was stirring the onions into my sizzling hamburger meat last night for some reason I was thinking about all of the obituaries I have written in the last seven years. It's sad really, the fact that I have to sum up someone's entire life in basically a few paragraphs.

Here are the standard "highlights": born (when and where) parents names, schooling, when, where and who they married, a few hobbies, a sentence or two about what kind of person they were, survivors, preceded in death by and memorial contributions.

It seems that only occasionally I have the privilage to read that life story written by the family~rich with details of memories, adventure, humor and personality.

Why don't we take the time to tell our own story? Maybe it's because we are afraid to. I have had people tell me that they don't want to even think about their own death, fearing that just the forethought alone will trigger it.

Well, one of these days, we will all have our story told. I think this poem says a lot about life and how we live it. Something to think about~

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

-He noted that first came the date of her birthand 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 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.(You could be at "dash midrange.")

-If we could just slow down enoughto consider what's true and real,and always try to understandthe way other people feel.

-And be less quick to anger,and show appreciation moreand 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 little 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 spend your dash?-Author Linda Ellis