A friend posted the below on her facebook. It really made me stop and think.
Below the poem, is my thoughts, my reflections as it pertains to the poem.
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A friend of mine shared this poem. It was read at one of her friend's wake/funeral. It is a long poem but so worth the read... please take the time to read it. If we all could just follow these words. The world would be a better place and we wouldn't have any regrets when those we love/d pass.
The Dash
I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a 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 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 she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
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?
Born February 28th, 1978
Jonathan is a quiet, reserved person, who is smart, caring, loves his family and friends, but as we all know, Bon Jovi’s music and baseball, especially his beloved Boston Red Sox are what people will probably most remember him for.
Jonathan told me once, he had 3 life time goals that he wants to achieve.
Jonathan wants to visit every major league baseball stadium. Haven seen 20 of them, I would say he’s doing pretty good in that department.
Jonathan wants to earn a doctorate degree. Unfortunately, money is blocking him from completing the goal right now.
And lastly, Jonathan wants to get married. He is a very caring, loving and romantic guy. Just like everyone else, he fell in love a time or two, unfortunately, he is unable to fully show his love for the one he loves.
Jonathan Graduated from high school in 1997. He graduated Salem State College in 2001 with a BS in criminal justice. He earned his master’s in education of psychology counseling from Cambridge college in 2005 and his certificate of advance graduate study’s in psychology counseling also from Cambridge college in 2009.
Jonathan started his professional career interning at a middle school for students with various severe mental illnesses. He enjoyed working with the students, getting along with both students and teachers. He would frequently join in card games and impacted these young adults more than he realizes.
Jonathan moved on to intern and eventual worked for a counseling company at a day rehabilitation program for adults with severe mental illnesses. He ran groups and did one on one when asked or when he felt a client needed it. He brought a lot of knowledge but also brought his personality that was quiet, and always respectful.
Jonathan currently worked part time at a group home, where he counseled adults with severe mental illnesses. He enjoys his job, always making sure to say hello to his coworkers before starting work. He is a hard worker, sometimes even preparing for his sessions at home. He made a difference with his clients and his coworkers. Outgoing, friendly and always keeping people on their toes. His amazing memory is a great asset. However, most of all, when times were at their worst, Jonathan was there to put a smile on everyone’s faces.
There is a part of Jonathan which only a few handful of people ever knew about him. He wrote poetry. He would never admit it, he’s too humble, but he is pretty good at it. I had the opportunity to read through some of his poetry over the years. He wrote from his heart. He wrote about his trials and tribulations of being blind. He wrote some romantic poems, some about sports, family, friends and that sort. He also has a great imagination, which can also be seen in his poetry and the few stories and one play he is in the process of writing.
I would like to go back to something I mentioned earlier. Jonathan’s second goal was to visit all major league stadiums. In his travels, which has brought him from Montreal to Miami, from San Diego to Texas, Cleveland and Chicago, New York, Baltimore and of course, his home away from home, Fenway Park, he didn’t just see a game and leave. He went to Miami when is twin brother was in college, so he joined in some fraternity parties. In San Diego, he went to a wedding. Montreal…has stories that will never be told, his trip to Pittsburgh, started with a flight to Ohio, to see his favorite football player, Mr. Rice get inducted into the football hall of fame. While visiting Detroit, he also toured the Greenfield Village. He traveled far and wide, for both baseball and other activities. He was a part of Woodstock 99, and got to see his hero, Nolan Ryan get inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He saw Bon Jovi perform more than 20 times and that wasn’t limited to Boston either as he has seen them in 6 different states.
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This is just my perception of myself. It would be interesting to see what someone else would write about me. What did I leave out?
But what else would I want to do with those dashes?
How do I go about achieving them?
What do you want to do with those dashes?
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