I read of a pastor who stood to speak At the funeral of his 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 of the second 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 dash is worth. For it matters not how much we own; the cars, the house, the cash. What matters most is how we live, And how we spend our dash. So think about this long & hard, Are there things you'd like to change? For you never know what time is left; You could be at "dash, mid-range." If we could just slow down enough, To see what's true & real, And always try to understand The way that others 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, Keeping in mind this special dash Might last but a little while. So when your eulogy's being read, Your life's actions to rehash, Would you smile at the things being said About how you spent your dash?