Funerals and poetry

Most of my regular readers (so that'll be you John) will know that my posts are usually quite whimsical, but yesterday I went to the funeral of a very dear friend's daughter.  A poem was read by Cheryl's best friend and I've transcribed it below because I found it touching and wanted to share it.  The poem is called The Dash and is 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 beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
Then the following date named with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.

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 while.

So when your eulogy is read
With life's actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

I think Cheryl spent her dash very, very well.  God bless.