Maybe it has something to do with seeing the dash. Not a 50 yard dash at the track or a mad dash to the mall, but The Dash. The dash, the space between August 9, 1959 - January 7, 2010. That dash.
Great memories came flooding back about birthday laughs we had. Bitter sweet memories celebrating birthday number "50" at Blue Coast and not having a clue it would be the last birthday dinner we would ever eat together. I've still got the receipt and could tell anyone exactly what we ate and where we sat. I can still hear your voice telling me I need to do a better job of staying in touch and that I have let my job take over my life. You were right, and at that time in my life I didn't know from one moment to the next if I was going to wake up and still have a job. Today does that seem very important to me like it did then? Sure doesn't. Why not? What changed? Now there is a dash.
If all of us could see into the future and know the day our own dash would be engraved what would we be doing different today? Would we forgive those who have offended us? Would we spend more quiet time with those we love and less time climbing the corporate ladder? Talk more and scream less? Give to those in need? Share our faith with those who don't know there is more to life after the dash? The choices we make here before the dash will determine where and how we spend eternity after the dash. Does any of that matter to us today since we are living and breathing? If "Yes," thank you for making a difference..... If "No," how sad.
Tomorrow, next week, next month or 10 years may pass, but not one of us know the length of time between our dash. Live in your moment, it's the only one you own.
