Living the Dash
Getting the most of life.
It’s the middle of May, and I am sitting out here with the sidekick. He is roaming the front porch, simply establishing his territory out here. He will pause to clap for a car passing down the road from time to time. The young boy is full of life and energy without a care in the world.
This leads me to today’s topic, which is living the dash. In today’s society, we tend to be fixated on birthdays. We celebrate them annually, and they are important days to us. We also focus on the day people die. When someone passes, many will make the pilgrimage across the country or countries to come and pay their respects to the deceased. But what about the time in between, you know, the dash that is on the tombstone. I call it living the dash.
Most of us don’t want to be remembered by our birthday or the day we died. Instead, I think most of us prefer to be remembered for how we lived. You know the time the dash represents. If “living the dash” is truly to represent us, then we really have to live the dash.
I mean doing the things that may be out of our comfort zone. It could be something as scary as sky diving or something that requires immense dedication, such as writing a book or finishing a degree. I think living the dash also includes checking many things off that bucket list. What is on your bucket list? I think we all have exciting things on the ole bucket list.
Living the dash is not just doing the crazy things in life. It is also just getting the most out of life. You know, having a few extra chips and salsa because they taste good. Watching the sunset because you can. Going skinny dipping because you are not supposed to anymore. The list goes on and on. It could also just be vibrant.
My wife and I retired a few years ago, and we made a commitment to “live the dash.” Get the most out of life. We have a few irons in the fire that, in the upcoming weeks, we will pull out of the fire. They have evolved to where we want them, and we will enjoy the finished products on things we prepared. In the meantime, I think I will have an extra scoop of ice cream, drive my car a little longer, look at the stars at night, just cherish the friendship of company, or travel when your young and physically able to.
You know, just enjoy every aspect of life. When it rains, dance in it. When it’s time to do yard work, do it with zeal. When it’s time to take a shower, sing in the shower. I think you get the idea.
So, what does it mean to you to “live the dash?” Then the next question is, are you doing that? If not, why not? You can’t wait for the end date on your stone to live. You got to do that now.
This is my Friday’s Thought to Ponder for the Weekend.
The Vet
