The Dash Poem

A friend of mine sent me this and I thought it would be a good thing for others to read too. How would you spend your dash?
Gina

The Dash
(Author Unknown)

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on his tombstone
From the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of his birth
And spoke the following date with tears
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between the years.

For that dash represents all the time
That he spent alive on the earth
And now only those who loved him
Know what the 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 be still rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what is true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
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?