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Archiver > FOLKLORE > 2001-04 > 0986172293
From: "Cece" <>
Subject: [FOLKLORE FAMILY] The dash sign (-) and the minus sign (-) look alike
Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2001 20:44:53 -0400
DO YOU LIVE YOUR DASH?
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 her date of birth And spoke the following date with
tears, But he said what mattered most of all Was the dash between those
years. (1934 -1998)
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's being read With your life's actions to rehash...
Would you be proud of the things they say About how you spent your dash?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BENT HISTORIC MISTAKE AWARD -- In 1962 NASA launched the Mariner probe to
investigate Venus. On launch day, the craft veered off course as it
separated from its booster. Four minutes into the flight NASA officials had
to press the destruct button and blow up the $18.5 million craft. The
official investigation later showed that a single MINUS (-) sign in the
computer program was the cause.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I had to send this after the"dash" story. I loved that story.
Consequently, God speaks to us in mysterious ways and this is one of the
ways He spoke to me.
I will try to fix my "minuses" and make all my "dash" days count for
something !
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