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 …

When I’ve learned enough to really live, I’ll be old enough to die.

Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live, taking the form of a readiness to die.
~ G.K. Chesterton