The Dash - How Are You Spending Yours?
Posted: February 16th, 2005, 7:19 pm
This morning, I was directed to a web page that contains the following poem. As it does not "fit" into any of the established threads, I'm opening this one to share it with this forum's participants who are motivated to click the title.
Story about The Dash
Author Unknown
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?
My own poem on the subject reads:
"Athough you asked to come here,
You don't know when you'll go,
Your ego plays the staring role,
But, it didn't write this show.
The past is just a memory,
The future but a dream,
Does it really matter much,
What happens inbetween?" - Arlo R. Hansen
"The ledge of life is very narrow and fragile. We never know when it may crumble under our feet, or when we are about to step off!" - Arlo R. Hansen
Story about The Dash
Author Unknown
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?
My own poem on the subject reads:
"Athough you asked to come here,
You don't know when you'll go,
Your ego plays the staring role,
But, it didn't write this show.
The past is just a memory,
The future but a dream,
Does it really matter much,
What happens inbetween?" - Arlo R. Hansen
"The ledge of life is very narrow and fragile. We never know when it may crumble under our feet, or when we are about to step off!" - Arlo R. Hansen
