The line etched into a headstone, between
the dates of birth and death
represents each step we take on earth, and
every single breath.
For many, it’s just a hyphen, marking time
between the years,
but in that little dash is a lifetime of
laughter, love and tears.
We each create the legacy our dash will
someday represent,
and decide if the life we’re given is truly
lived…or merely spent.
Some deem themselves successful if they can
spend in large amounts,
but how you spend your only dash is all
that really counts.
Time steals our days and hours before we
recognize the theft
and we live each day not knowing how much
of our dash is left.
Responsibilities of daily life -- the
bills, the job, the cash
affect the way we choose to use this
important little dash.
Memories in the making are happening now,
and happening here.
So take the time to make the time, before
they disappear.
This is it. This is the show, with no time
to rehearse.
Minutes move only forward -- never, ever in
reverse.
So, don’t spend this time in sorrow, or
with bitterness and fear.
The future may be uncertain,
but right now, your dash is here.
"The Dash" by Linda Ellis
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Happy 2024, nonexistent reader. The dash is the love you give and receive.