My quiet time devotional this morning spoke on leaving a mark, how we want to be remembered when we pass from this life and come face to face with God.   Will He say, “Well done thy good and faithful servant” or “depart for me, I never knew you”.     Have  I left a mark or was I too busy?   Was the mark a colorful one, filled with laughter, hope, praise, faith, and love or was it a black mark, with sarcasm, hatred, anger, or criticism.     Many times we may go through life, not slowing down.   As we grow up, we cannot wait to get out of school, to move off to college, to work, join the armed service, or?    We cannot wait to get married and have kids.  We cannot wait until our kids finally get out of the house and the cycle starts again with our grand kids.   We end up 50,60, 70 years old and wonder what happened to “all the years”.   I wonder if I made a difference.    Did I live my life to be an example to others, did I  encourage or discourage, did I lift up or tear down,  did I take time to talk to my daughters, was I the dad and the man God wants me to be.    The devotional reminded of a poem I read a while back entitled, “The Dash” by Linda Ellis.   You may have read this poem, if not take the time today, this very moment,  to read it.   Read it not only with your eyes but read it with the eyes of your heart. 

The Dash Poem – by Linda Ellis

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?

www.thewritetouchinc.com/pdf/DashPoem.pdf