I use to volunteer at the Missouri veteran's home a few years back and befriended one old soul named Bill. I remember driving Bill out to his 90th birthday party that his family had prepared. He actually outlasted me and I was told he had stayed up till 1am enjoying it all. Sad to say we lost him just 2 months after that party.

At his funeral, the pastor made mention of something that stuck with me. He said it's not all about the born date or the died date on the grave stone but rather all about the dash in between. What do we do with our dash? Do we really live our dash as God intended or do we [censored] and moan through 90% and only live the small leftover 10%.

So why am I writing about this to a forum of folks that I haven't gotten to know yet nor have they really had a chance to know anything about me? I guess its somehow an altered and unusual form of prepardness principal that I feel compelled to share. If you love your life and live it fully then you are on the correct page so to speak. But if you are like me and often seem to be so wrapped up with the hard life that's so everpresent and unrelenting with its bills, economy and stress then just stop and priortize!

Today I spent 4 hours finishing up my wifes BOB and making other prepardness efforts. After, I decided to take my dog for a walk in our city's beautiful cemetary. Living in NH I can tell you there are graves from 19th century and some so old they're effaced to the point of blank rocks. But everywhere I looked I saw husbands and wives laid to rest side by side. I read the dates and felt a sadness for the mate that had to endure years alone after their loved one died; I suddenly felt my love for my wife grow a bit deeper. All the children from the 1800s that lived months or a few years, simply heartbreaking!

God bless the time I have left on this earth! I guess its different for me as I died on the operating table this past Feb during routine knee surgery, not to mention that I'm cancer survivor too. Now I live with a haunting notion of, "I could eaisily NOT be here today to enjoy this moment. Friends, prepare for the worst but I urge you to just love a little deeper and live a little more enthuastic. Create all the fun memories you can with the time youve been blessed with. Then when the world/life gets really tuff you have a stockpile of happy memories to sustain your spirit.

Faith & Friendship
Pooly