Live Your Dash

Every day on my birthday, my dad reminds me of my 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 beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth

And spoke the following with tears.

But he said what mattered most of all,

Was the dash in between those years.

For the dash represents, all the time

That she spent alive on earth.

And how 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 most 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 is 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 is being read,

With your life’s actions to rehash

Would you be proud of the things they say

And how your spent your dash?