Have you ever noticed that when a person passes away the years that are stated are the year they are born and the year that they died. I know it's not noticiable at all but have you ever wondered what happened in between those two numbers? This "dash" represents more than just a character on the keyboard or in a newpaper article. It represents someone's live that they lived and who they have impacted during their time here on earth.
What if instead we don't put those years in but rather described their life here on earth. What would people say then; I would think this would be more impactful than what year they were born and what year they died. Looking back at many funerals that I have gone to, I have had time to reflect on "a life worth living". One parrticular person comes to my mind first and that is my grandfather on my mom's side. He lived his life to the fullest and took nothing for granted.
My grandfather was born to Italian parents, they didn't have much but what they did have was enough for them. My grandfather went to high school but never earned a college degree. He worked for the Navy for 20 years. He has had experiences that one can only dream of. There were a lot of sacrifices though; he had a family of a wife and two daughters and most of the time until my mom was in 3rd grade; my grandmother was the only parent. My grandfather would be out on tour and would only be home on leave or when he was on shore duty.
I knew my grandparents lived simple lives. Both were frugal with their finances because they rew up in the era of the Great Depression and they wasn't much available. They saved their money and only bought nice things. My grandfather was smart about finances and when to invest in something. I'm not saying it was all about their money but they hardly wasted anything.
My grandfather was always a person who was likeable by everyone, he was outgoing but humble and always put someone else first. He would always give a hug or a piece of candy when he could. He made his time here on earth very worthwhile. He didn't invest in things that were meaningless and always knew when to say no.
No matter what he did, he did it with a sense of purpose. Whether it be playing golf with friends or helping my parents around their house. He did it to perfection. SOmetimes that drove people crazy but he got the job done. He knew the importance of an education and though he didn't go to college, he and my grandmother supported me throughout all my academic career.
I remember that when I went off to get my Bachelor Degree, he was a fan of both me and the school I went to. I would sometimes get in the mail articles that he had cut out about the football team and the game that they just played. He was invested in whatever I did. He passed away before I went to Grad school but I know that throughout it all he was with me.
So what's so important about that dash in the paper, it represents the time on earth. With this simple dash, people have a choice: to live life to the fullest like my grandfather or just be surviving. It's ultimately up to you. In fact, here's a better question.. what will your legacy be like? What will people say at your funeral? Now that's something to think about.
