A Poem to Change YOUR Perspective

Welcome back to “New Man, New Woman, New Week.”  I am fired up to be with you today, but I’ve gotta tell you, I’m a little emotional today.

I’m a little emotional, and I’m thinking about you in your life on your journey.  Are you choosing to refrain?  Are you choosing to look for the opportunities that lie within adversity and challenge and obstacle?  See, that’s a lesson that we learn when we just started this series “New Man, New Woman, New Week,” reframing, and I learned that from my mom.  And after speaking in front of hundreds upon hundreds of groups all over the world, I started to learn to contain my emotions in my speaking, but there was a time about four years ago when I was down at an event in Arizona, and there was a friend of mine in a group setting who read this poem.  And what made it so special was not only did it hit me in my heart because of my connection to my emotion and my mom and what she meant to me and my belief in reframing, but it came from Walter who was a cancer survivor.  And I’ve always admired Walter and his work ethic and his drive, not only successful in business but successful as a father, and successful in life.  And when he shared how he overcame cancer, and she shared how he stayed committed to his family and his work, and then he read this poem, man, it just hit me.

So today’s gonna be a little softer feel.  You know I’m normally, like, in your face, getting after it, but today’s a little softer, a little more emotion.  I’m gonna do something a little different.  So today, I want to share this poem that meant so much to me and has meant so much to me in my life.  And when I read this poem, I want you to think of the years 1948-1986, and those are the years that my mother was with us on Earth, and what I want you to focus on is that dash. The title of this poem that I first heard from Walter is called “The Dash” by Linda Ellis.

“The Dash”, by Linda Ellis

“There was 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 her birth and spoke the following date with tears, but what he said that mattered most of all was the dash between those years.

For that dash stands for 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 and understand the way other people feel.

We’d be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we have 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 is being read, with your life’s actions to rehash, would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?”

I wanted to share that poem and do something different because of what that poem has meant for me in my life and my heart.  And today, the only thing I’d ask of you is to just take all that in, take in the words to that poem.  Share this poem; share it with one friend because of the difference it’ll make in their life.

I get so fired up to be with all of you each and every single week.  You know I can’t wait for next Monday to be with you as we continue to talk about greatness in your life on your journey.  Until next Monday, go do great things.