<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"><span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div dir="ltr"><span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><div><b>“The Dash Poem”</b> by Linda Ellis</div><div><br></div><div>I read of a man who stood to speak</div><div>At the funeral of a friend.</div><div>He referred to the dates on her tombstone </div><div>From the beginning to the end.</div><div><br></div><div>He noted that first came the date of her birth </div><div>And spoke of the following date with tears, </div><div>But he said what mattered most of all </div><div>Was the dash between those years.</div><div><br></div><div>For that dash represents all the time </div><div>That she spent alive on earth </div><div>And now only those who loved her </div><div>Know what that little line is worth.</div><div><br></div><div>For it matters not, how much we own, </div><div>The cars, the house, the cash, </div><div>What matters is how we live and love </div><div>And how we spend our dash.</div><div><br></div><div>So think about this long and hard; </div><div>Are there things you'd like to change? </div><div>For you never know how much time is left </div><div>That can still be rearranged.</div><div><br></div><div>If we could just slow down enough </div><div>To consider what's true and real </div><div>And always try to understand </div><div>The way other people feel.</div><div><br></div><div>And be less quick to anger </div><div>And show appreciation more </div><div>And love the people in our lives </div><div>Like we've never loved before.</div><div><br></div><div>If we treat each other with respect </div><div>And more often wear a smile, </div><div>Remembering that this special dash </div><div>Might only last a little while.</div><div><br></div><div>So when your eulogy is being read </div><div>With your life's actions to rehash </div><div>Would you be proud of the things they say </div><div>About how you spent your dash?</div></div>———————————————<br><br><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></body></html>