The Dash by Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on the tombstone
from the beginning…to the end.
He noted that first came the date of 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 they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
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?
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After a wise friend of mine read this poem at my huddle earlier this week, I realized that I quite often live in the future. I can’t wait for this day to be over so I can sleep. I can’t wait for the weekend. I can’t wait till Christmas Break. I can’t wait till I’m a second semester senior. I can’t wait till I start college. And it’s no wonder why I’ve always worn a watch too. How many minutes left in this class? How many hours until school is over?
“The dash” doesn’t have to be from birth to death; rather it can be the beginning and end of anything. A class. A day. A year. I thought about "my dash" from freshman year up to this point of senior year and the only thing that came to mind at first was a whole lot of regret. I spent way too much time living in the future. And then it hit me. How on earth am I supposed to love on people and truly love Jesus if all I’m thinking about, is when the “next thing” will begin? How am I supposed to reach out and be Jesus to broken people if I’m constantly checking the time and counting it down? The harsh truth is it's nearly impossible to do so.
Since that Tuesday, I’ve been asking Jesus to help me live in the moment. I’ve taken off my watch. Whenever I find my mind thinking about things to come, I remind myself to “live where my feet are planted” at that moment. I’m not saying I’ve mastered this (infact, many hours in each day have been unintentionally devoted to that old futuristic thinking), but even in the few hours I have remembered to “live where my feet are planted,” I’ve found that my perspective has changed. In those moments when I live in the present, classes go by faster because I’m not anxiously awaiting their end. Conversations have been deep and intentional...jokes have been a whole lot funnier, because I am fully present. And perhaps best of all, I’m more aware of ways to love on people, because I’m not “just trying to make it through the day.”
My prayer and hope for you all and for me, especially in this crazy busy season, is that we remember live where our feet are planted. Change your perspective and live in the present. It’s the only way to leave a legacy of love and Jesus for the world around us.
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