At the beginning of the month of June, I posted an article (What Do You Want to be Remembered For?) concerning some thoughts I had in regard to people's passions, and what they are remembered for when they die. In the blog, I urged my readers to consider these key questions:
"What do you want to be remembered for?For being a Packer fan? A state-championship winning athlete?A great Dad and a loving husband?After you've asked yourself that, also consider what you do with your life that will truly have a lasting impact; Something of significance that doesn't fade, tarnish, or decay.We know that the Green Bay Packers have not and will not exist forever,so what do you dedicate your passion to that really matters?"
About a week later, one of our readers responded to my blog via email. She provided me with a link to a poem that pertains to the topics and ideas that I had discussed within "What Do You Want to be Remembered For?"
The poem is called "The Dash". For those of you who haven't heard of it before, it is a piece that focuses on how people live their lives and what they will be remembered for. The dash refers to the life that the person lived (and each of our lives). Specifically, it is the time between the two dates a gravestone (ex. 1924 - 2003). The dash represents the time that a person lived and what they did with that time.
To view the poem online, you must visit this link and watch the video/slideshow. Due to copyright laws, I will not post it here, in order to avoid conflict - The only legal, original version is found at their website: http://www.thedashmovie.com/
I wanted to take the time to share this poem with you, as it contains some thought provoking descriptions and statements. I hope that it does prove motivational to you, as the author claims it has for many.
While I do appreciate this poem and the questions that it raises; What I don't like is that Linda Ellis, the poem's author, attempts to answer the questions in her writing also - Essentially, telling us how to live our lives 'better'.
Of course, her suggestions are things of great virtue - Focused on our society's idea of love, treating others well, being concerned for the feelings and emotions of those around you, smiling, being happy, and plain making sure that people have good things to say about you when you die. Overall, Ms. Ellis is telling us to live morally good lives - To be seen as a "good person."
While this seems great, and holds substance, I believe that the poem could be much better focused on loving God; Finding satisfaction in the supreme worth of Christ Jesus and eternal life seen in Him. The dash of our lives is infinitely more meaningful when we choose to focus that dash on the life to come, and the Savior that has provided it; Not the dash itself.
Sure, being seen as a good person is warming and comforting, but I would much rather my life count for eternity than be concerned with how people regard me after I have passed away. Making sure I have a good eulogy and make much of others by treating them well and "loving" them sounds great, but does it really hold significance beyond this life?
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Reader Response:
What do you think of "The Dash"?
(The Poem and the ideas that it contains)
What thoughts do you have on making the most of our dash?
AJ, I agree with your sentiments. Wouldn't "The Dash" be better spent impacting eternity than just smiling and saying nice things?
AJ..it is really profound and an absolute oxymoron that ...yes , i feel we should choose to focus 'our' ( let's make it personal) dash on "THE LIFE TO COME,and the Saviour that has provided it , instead of the dash itself"!
how absolutely astute your observation is. I pray it will be true of MY DASH. amen then.