One of my closest friends here in AZ is Mrs. Tory (now) Feiler. God not only placed her in my life during the most ups & downs I've seen since senior year in college, but he blessed me by giving me the opportunity to know her mother, Jessica Pottinger.
You need to understand this woman is one of the strongest most courageous individual I've met, second my aunt and grandfather. I've never seen such a beautiful soul be so at peace with herself and her situation. She has ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease and you would never know it if you spoke to her. She is full of life, life lessons and peace...We started her on this blogging kick and she writes the most beautiful and simple things. (jdpottinger.blogspot.com) I just read her blog for the first time in a few days and stumbled upon this post she wrote. She talks about a beautiful poem that we would read to our campers during SuperCamp Colorado & Stanford. It has a poignant message so read below with an open heart:
“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.
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 matter 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.?”
-anonymous
Tory & Jessica
