Life

Nothing can prepare you for the inevitable... rather ironic, but hey, that's life. But what really does it include? What is a life well lived? What are we doing with that "dash" between the years?

Life includes love. A family that loves you and supports you as you grow up and mature into adulthood (hopefully into and through adulthood as well... ;] ), Friends will come and go and yet they are so important to growth and identification as the teenage years come around. Then eventually you find that one who you would love nothing better than to spend eternity with them and life just seems to make sense. Of course, who can forget the comforting strength of a roommate when things get a little bumpy...

But how is one supposed to feel when news reaches your ear of a child, not yet two passes on into the next life? Sure, there is some comfort knowing they are exalted... (Thank goodness for the Gospel of Jesus Christ) but it doesn't make it easy. Or what about a grandmother who has watched her children grow up and move on... What sort of time is considered a life well lived?

Life should be lived, not imagined, not stressed about, and certainly not put off for "tomorrow". What you have is today, make it worth while. Who knows what tomorrow will hold for you...

Let me tell you about Annie Jones. The day she moved into our apartment, box in hand, smile on her face I could feel something very special about her. I could feel the love the Savior had for this particular daughter and reciprocated love she shares with Him. With Annie, what you saw is what you got. There was no hidden meaning, just true honesty. She always had a smile and would never really complain about anything... She was a great cook and made us chocolate chip cookies almost every single day. We have grown to love her perfected recipe... Her standards were being lived with everything she could bear. A perfect example of how to live the Gospel.Her boyfriend, Sam would come over and always make us laugh. She was as happy as any 23 year old could be.

She spent the weekend in Bryce Canyon with Sam and his family. The plan for their return trip back to us was to drive Friday night to be home by Saturday. Annie, wearing her seat belt, was in the back seat. Sam's nephew was driving early in the morning... he fell asleep at the wheel and ran the car into the barrier. He came out of the accident with a couple of bruises, Sam has no physical injuries (thank goodness), and Annie... well... she was killed on impact. She did not suffer... but Sam did attempt to do CPR for 20 minutes...My prayers are for her family. One of 11 children and on of the oldest, this has come to a sudden and difficult blow to handle. But most of all, my heart goes out to Sam... Annie's uncle told us that Sam bought her a ring and was planning a surprise proposal very soon...

The news has come as such a blow and shock to us.Her family came yesterday to tell us, and get her stuff... it was only hours after it had happened... One minute she was here and now... we are all still almost hoping she will walk through our door... but we all know in our hearts that she wont be... For as little time as I have known her, there is... a hole... something, and someone missing. It is a different experience to have someone so close in age, in proximity, in circumstance... at the prime of their life, be suddenly gone. The bishop told me to keep my chin up.

The interesting thing is, I have no sadness... I know it sounds a little heartless... but our apartment has been blanketed with a kind of quiet, comforted peace... it is difficult to explain but I know that Heavenly Father knows what he is doing. I know that Annie was living the way she was supposed to and that she is in good hands. Those who are hurting are those left behind.
The trick? Keep on living life. If we halt, if we stop to worry and stress about the inevitable... then death will come and we wont be ready. Keep the perspective eternal and carry on. Life is beautiful, precious, and fragile... it would be a shame to waste it.

The Dash Poem
by Linda Ellis

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

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

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

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

And be less quick to anger
And 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?

© 1996 Linda Ellis