The Dash - by Linda Ellis

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.
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He noted that first came the date of her birth and spoke of the following date with tears,but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.
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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.
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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.
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So think about this long and hard...are there things you'd like to change? For you never know how much time is left. (You could be at "dash midrange.")
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If we could just slow down enough to consider what's true and real, and always try to understand the way other people feel.
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And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we've never loved before.
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If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile...remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.
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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 spend your dash?

I can't remember where I found that poem but I liked the words. It made me appreciate my life and the people in it. My wealth and riches come from my personal life, if I invest they can only grow and flourish. A wise investment for the future and the spending of my dash.