‘The Dash’

I read of a man who stood to speak

At the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on the casket

From beginning to the end.

He noted that first came their 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 the dash represents all the time

That they spent alive on earth

And now only those who loved them

Know what that little line is worth.

For it matter 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 would 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 have 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?