At a recent funeral, the pastor read a touching poem. I was so impressed with it that I found the author’s website and learned it was written over ten years ago. It has since gained some popularity and I thought it was appropriate for genealogists, who are so concerned with the birth and death dates of our ancestors.
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.
–excerpt from The Dash, a poem by Linda Ellis