The Dash

The Dash by Linda Ellis

There was 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 her 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 stands for 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.

We'd 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 is being read
With your lifes actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Cos that dash stands for all the time
That you spent alive on earth
And only those who loved you
Know what that little line is worth

It matters not how much you own
The cars the house the cash
What matters is how you live and love
And how you spend your dash

What matters is how you live and love
And how you spend your dash.


How have you spent your dash today? When you die, what is the one think that you want to be remebered for/by? This has been om my mind a great deal lately.....

Anyway

Anyway
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Mother Teresa

I don't get it. I know that I am supposed to trust God and His plan even if I don't understand the plan. I have learned that lesson countless times throughout my life. HOWEVER, it does not mean that I have to accept it right away without sadness, fear, anger and disappointment.

My daughter...to look at her you would think that she is a strong, confident young woman. Her friends are the same. If you saw them, you would think that they had a solid direction and feet firmly planted on the ground. They are good at hiding things, those girls. They are afraid. They are unsure. They are sad. And they have every right to be. They have experienced so very much in their young lives. They have lost so many they love. They know how to mourn better than most adults. Two girls from this group have lost parents suddenly in the last 4 months. The group as a whole has lost too many parents to count since they were little. These kids have been to too many wakes and funerals. They live life wondering...... who is next.

It makes me sad to see these young people experience so much so early. They should be able to stay safe and be kids as long as possible. The loss effects the parents as well as we are left wondering how do we explain it all. How do we deal with it ourselves? How do we move on with the loss? How do we help?

One thing I have learned is that God has a plan. I never really like it much (unless it is good for me!) and I never seem to understand it at all but I have to trust. I have to trust that God does indeed have a plan and He knows what He is doing. I can get angry. I can get sad. I can be disappointed but there is still the hope and the prayer and the faith that God knows best.

Thus, I live my life doing things anyway. Doing things that make people happy, sad, inspired, frustrated....I live my life choosing my words and battles carefully. I live my life trying to make the world a better place for my children and the other children in my life. This way if anything ever happens to me I have no regrets.... I hope I will be remembered as one who did things anyway.....

Live every moment. Find joy. Every single breath you take is a second chance...a chance to do things anyway.