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 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.

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.
(You could be at "dash mid-range.")

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?

Linda Ellis (Linda's Lyrics)

@1998, used by permission

What Have You Made Of Your Life?

What have you done with the dash? There comes a time when all our lives will be summed up. People will stand and they will evaluate the impact we have made on their world. Our children will think of the things we have said and the things that we did. Our spouses will remember the way we acted and the words that were spoken when we all alone. Associates, friends, and acquaintances will weigh out the value of the impact that we had on them.

Our lives should count. We should be remembered for bringing love, joy, happiness and peace into other's lives. People should smile when they think of us. They should be feel good that they knew us. You see, we must be willing to invest ourselves in people not in stocks and bonds. We need to come into people lives with a smile on our face, a word of encouragement on our lips, and with an open and loving heart. People are remembered, really remembered, for the things that they did out of their hearts not for what they had or left to their heirs.

Let's go out into the world and add a little "dash" to our life. Let's invest in people. Let's encourage, let's share, let's show the love of God and let's make a difference in someone's life.

Now go and do it...May the God of Glory bless your efforts.