Friday, January 9, 2009

The Dash


In this last week, I attended two funerals of wonderful ladies who fought a hard battle against that awful big C. Both have won and gone triumphantly, to their heavenly home. Their life stories were told by family and friends, of how they touched so many people in such wonderful and amazing ways.
When I wander through a cemetery, I always take note of the years engraved on the headstones, but never really noticed the dash between the years. 1948 - 2008.
A poet, Linda Ellis, has written a beautiful, thought-provoking poem called "The Dash".
Here are a few lines from it.

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, when your eulogy is being read
With your lif'e's actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

(you can "google" the entire poem on line)

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