the dash

as strange as it may sound i attended a funeral via webcast last week. stan wierson's service was the most amazing funeral i've ever seen, probably because he planned it himself from beginning to end. it was truly a celebration of life. i cried, laughed and was challenged.

it was over two hours long with seven guest speakers and a sermon like i had never heard before, i honestly found myself taking notes.

one of my favorite parts of the service was a poem that was read by linda ellis. i haven't stopped thinking about it since, so i thought i would share:


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 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,
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.

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 is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?