Photo image from Bournemouth Echo
I share this poem, The Dash, in the Happy Life Habits Positive Grief talks along with some science of what grief does to the brain, ways to cope with grief and help others.
The poem is short yet very powerful, timely and reflective.
THE DASH.. BY LINDA ELLIS
I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning… to the end.
He noted that first came the date of 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 they spent alive on earth and now only those who loved them 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 still can be rearranged.
To 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 is being read, with your life’s actions to rehash, would you be proud of the things they say about how you lived your dash??
Resources for Positive Grief : https://www.happylifehabits.co.uk/positive-grief
and The Dash video is here
Saw this great post on LinkedIn by Ian West which shares some of the Queen’s Dash.
Just to put the history of Her Majesty's passing into context, and shut up the minority of trolls who seem to be in their 'so what' grumpy moods...
Elizabeth II was born less than 23 years after the Wright brothers carried out the first ever powered flight. Four of Queen Victoria's children were still alive when she was born. The last one of them died in 1944 when Elizabeth was already 18.
She lived for more than a third of the entire age of the United States (1776) - a nation which is only 246 years old. And well over half the age of Canada (1867), and all but 25 years of the nation of Australia (1901).
She became Queen at the age of just 25, when Stalin and Truman were also in post, just 7 years after the end of WWII.
Her first Prime Minister was born in 1874. Yes, the 1800s!!!
Her last PM was born only two years before her Silver Jubilee in 1975 - so her first and last PMs were born over 100 years apart!
She was already 51 when she celebrated that first Jubilee in 1977.
Ruling in her own right (with no regent, like Louis XIV had for 13 years), she was the longest reigning monarch in World history, no matter what Wikipedia says. In my book, Regencies don't really count as "doing the job" - you don't really 'rule' when you're only 4 years old, like he was!
She lived through three kings herself before she even took the throne - George V, Edward VIII, and her father George VI
She saw the jet age arrive, the birth of electronic computing, and the space age - all before she was 35 years old.
She ruled for 70 years at the age of 96, more than 35 years after the age at which most people retire.
Her reign is over 7% of the entire history of Britain since William the Conqueror took the crown - 956 years ago - and that's considering that we've had 41 monarchs in that time. So, on a pro-rata basis, each reign would only be 23 years. So, she's done the equivalent of over three tours of duty.
So, yeah, she certainly *was* Great Britain and everything that we've seen and grown up with. She was with us through, literally, all we've ever known in living memory.
Her selfless service to this country was simply astonishing, when she could have 'retired' from the job decades ago and enjoyed some well-deserved rest.
She is now a huge part of British history herself, there is no 'was' about it anymore. She *is* and will remain an integral component of this country, having overseen an amazing Elizabethan Age.
I am glad to have lived in her reign, and witnessed it, in spite of the country's broken heart.
As she said herself "Grief is the price we pay for love."
Rest in Peace Ma'am with your beloved Philip.
Your duty has been done ... multiple times over.
Happy Life Habits rewires hearts & minds for better productivity, happiness and wellbeing in 10 minutes a day.
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Contact Shaileen@HappyLifeHabits.co.uk for any enquiries.
Happy Life Habits rewires hearts & minds for better productivity, happiness and wellbeing in 10 minutes a day. We help you move out of the comfort zone and into the learning/growth zones. Our products and services help develop habits and continuous personal development.
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Shaileen Shah is a Happiness Coach, Speaker and Trainer. Previously having been in finance technology for the investment banking arm of RBS during the RBS takeover of Natwest, the RBS takeover of ABN Ambro and the financial crisis he has experienced the challenges brought by uncertainty, change and stress. He is certified in The Science of Happiness and shares through Happy Life Habits. Happy Life Habits Positively Impacts Happiness & Well Being Levels by creatively and uniquely combining Personal Development + The Science of Happiness + Spirituality. A business for Good. For more information see HappyLifeHabits.co.uk.
