The dash refers to the dash on tombstones that separates one’s birth and death dates. For example: 1940-2010.
The poem suggested that the dash represents all that a person did with their life — from their birth until their death.
The words of the poem make one realize it’s not so much what we own — our cars, our houses or our bank account — but rather how we live and love and how we spend our time with our “dash.”
It really makes sense when one thinks deeply about the meaning. We live in such a fast lane these days with the Internet — where we choose to e-mail rather than pick up a phone and talk directly to our family and friends; or better yet, visit them and give them a physical hug, rather than a smiley face or emoticon attached to an e-mail.
We need sometimes to slow down and smell the roses — and consider what is true and real. We need to think about “stuff” that we need to change about ourselves and our “dash” — because we never know how much time we might have left.
The Bible refers to our dash as being like a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes.
We need to think about other people’s feelings rather than being prone to be quick to anger. We are all mere sojourners on this planet that we call Earth. We are just passing through. Why not make it a pleasant trip for ourselves and others?
In Marv Hardin’s poem “The Train of Life,” a train journey is a metaphor for the story of life. It has a clear beginning, middle and end. One of the verses expresses that “life’s too short for yesterdays, it moves along too fast.”
Just a dash in time.
A smile can sometimes be worth more than a 1,000 words if we greet and treat others with respect. Life is much too short to hold grudges.
Not long ago, I read in The Journal an account of a young man’s death that really impressed me. It was said of this person that not only was he the greatest, but that he was funny, kind, helpful, talented, considerate and so much more.
It was said that he added brightness to all the lives he touched, and that the world was a darker place for having lost him. It was hoped that everyone who knew him could spread brightness of their own by striving to follow his example.
If my dash in life were only equal to half of this young man’s dash, I would be honored.
Frank Frisch is a retired Middletown resident.