The Dash

This post explains how we will be remembered!

While wandering around the cemetery, I noticed on each headstone were the date of birth and the date of death. However, between the numbers appeared a dash.  The little (--) commanded my attention.  

It is interesting to know the dash is representative of the time between birth and death. It stands for the many things the person did, their accomplishments their struggles, also who they knew and loved and everything else about the life lived. 

 Now a question for all of us, "How would we like to be remembered?"

We each have an unique personality.  Each with talents and desires to be met in life.  It will not matter how much we own, the cars, the house, our cash, but the "dash" will reveal a life lived.

 Let's ponder the following poem.

The Dash Between

by Ron Tranmer

I knelt there at the headstone

of one I love and cried.

Name, with dates of birth and death

were perfectly inscribed.

I pondered these two dates

and how little they both mean

when compared to the tiny dash 

that lies there in between.

The dash serves as an emblem

of our time here on the earth,

and although small, it stands for all

our years of life, and worth.

And our worth will be determined 

by how we lived each day.

We can fill our dash with goodness, 

or waste our life away.

To ourselves, as well as others, 

let's be honest, kind and true,

and every day, live the way

we know God wants us to.

May we look for opportunities

to do a worthy deed,

and reach out with compassion

to those who are in need.

For if our hearts are full of love

throughout our journey here,

we'll be loved by all who knew us

and our memory they'll hold dear.

And when we die, these memories

will bring grateful, loving tears,

to all whose lives were touched

by the dash between our years.

*****

Warning! Warning! Warning!

We do not know how much time is left.  We could find our dash brought to a halt.

 This visual is for all of us to see and ponder.

Until the next post.  Be kind to yourself and others.

The Lord loves you and wants you to serve gladly.