What Do You Wish To Do With Your Dash?

When did you start reading the obituaries?

Stay with me; this week’s blog isn’t about dying; it’s about living.

When I was younger, I never read them, and just the thought brought me too close to my mortality. Eventually, I accepted that we all cross the same finish line and stopped being scared of dying so I could start living.

And I started reading the beautiful stories about what others did with their dash.

I read of a man who stood to speak

At the funeral of a friend

He referred to the dates on the tombstone

From the beginning…to the end

He noted that first came the date of birth

And spoke 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 they spent alive on earth.

And now only those who loved them

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 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?

by Linda Ellis – The Dash

In 2015, author and columnist David Brooks wrote about and delivered a TEDx about Living your Resume or Eulogy. He was also referencing our dash.

So, what do you wish to do with your dash?

I know many who are struggling with what to do with their dash in ’22. They don’t feel like all cylinders are firing. They’re not crushing it, yet – yet & and are two beautiful words – like those in their social feeds.

If you feel the same way, don’t fret that you don’t have it all figured out. I don’t think many do – it’s too hard to predict right now. If you need to take a moment, then take a moment. Catch your breath and then start slow – small steps over time are a path toward success.

And when you’re ready, a valuable exercise is to reassess your values, especially after what we have been through. Our values set our dash (life) intentions on how we wish to BE and provide navigational guidance. But if you don’t know what they are, you might end up spinning in circles.

Until next week, remember to Pause Breathe Reflect, and if you wish to receive my daily text message, text Shift to 503-587-5957. It’s a simple way to remember to slow it down and breathe as you live your dash and a great way to follow my cross-country ride, Rise2Ripple, this summer.

And don’t forget to have fun storming the castle!

Michael