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Friday, September 16, 2011

HOW DO YOU LIVE YOUR DASH?


            An old poem has resonated with people through the years. The author is unknown, but the themes addressed have stood the test of time:

How Do You Live Your 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 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.
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'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 spent your dash? 

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