But the most important part of the inscription is the dash. I have included a link to the entire poem at the end of this blog, but essentially the premise is that on every person’s tombstone, two dates are connected by a dash - the date of our birth and the date of our death. I created a program around this poem that turned out to be one of the most engaging conversations we had ever had with that group of amazing young people. At the time, my husband was the youth director at our church and I used to help him with the devotional programs at the youth group meetings on Sunday evenings. It’s moments like these that make life worth living.Many years ago, I came across a poem called “ Live Your Dash” by Linda Ellis. It’s been said that “we don’t remember days we remember moments.” Being present and in the moment provides some of life’s greatest joys - A crackling fire on a cold winter night, reading a love note from your spouse, watching a beautiful sunset, or having coffee with a friend. A smile will not only affect those around you, but it will change your attitude and outlook on life. Often a simple smile will break through tension and stress. Our dash may be short, but it can be wide. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.” This quote by George Washington Carver says it best: “How far you go in your life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. You have opportunities every day to spend your dash through simple acts of kindness and respect. It seems like only yesterday the kids were just toddlers learning to walk, and now they’ve got children of their own! As they say, “the days are long, but the years are short.” Never miss an opportunity to show love and say, “I love you.” It may be just what they needed at that moment. When you do the same for other people, you pass along that positive energy. Think about how you feel when someone thanks you. Those two little words hold incredible power. As William Ward says: “Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the handcuffs of hate.” Life is too short – choose forgiveness and let it go. Now that you’ve read the poem, here’s what it means to Live Your Dash:Īnger can eat away at your ability to be joyful and kind. 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 lived your dash? If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile… remembering that this special dash might only last a little while. To be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before. 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 still can be rearranged. What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash. He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke of the following date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.įor that dash represents all the time they spent alive on earth and now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.įor it matters not, how much we own, the cars… the house… the cash. He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning… to the end. I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.
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