September 10, 1932 – June 6, 2007

-        The Dash  -

by Conni Johnson Evans

In the process of taking care

Of those things that must be known

Writing the dates of Dad’s life span

Which will be chiseled into stone.

I noted that first came the date of his birth

And typed the following date with tears

But realized what mattered most of all

Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the cherished time

That he spent alive here on earth

And now only those who knew and loved him

Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much he owned

The tools, the house, the cash

What matters most is how he lived and loved

And how he spent his dash.

Good memories of him are the ones we’ll have

I’ve thought about this long and hard

Are there things that I can change?

I don’t know how much time is left

But it can still be rearranged.

I can surely slow down long enough

To consider what’s important and real

And always try to be helpful

Understanding the way others feel.

And be less quick to anger

And show appreciation more

Openly love everyone in my life

Like I’ve seldom shown before.

These are the things Dad

taught me

And I’ll often wear a smile