Life between the dash

Life between the dash. 

Went to the funeral today of a 33 year old man. Too young to die. He left behind a six year old daughter. A lovely, new wife. And a mom and dad who looked devastated.

We attend the same church with this man, and have known him and his family since he was a teen.

This was a tough one. Parents don't expect to bury a child. It was hard to see his mom and dad so bereft and sad.

Just.....so.......sad.

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Life between the dash.

Stories were told about pranks this man and his friends pulled. And tortures they put their siblings through. Stories about pretend play like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn; or famous detectives; or professional basketball players. They talked about his great love for others; his caring, compassionate manner; and his ability to make you feel like a million bucks.

They talked about his love of the outdoors. His sense of adventure. His ready smile.

And they talked about the obstacles he faced in his short time on this earth.

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Life between the dash.

He had Tourette's syndrome, and he stuttered as a child. He overcame the stutter all by himself. Then came Marfan syndrome. Marfan's caused problems with his heart valve. The last week of his life was unbelievable for his family. He wasn't feeling good, they found bleeding in his brain, and then an infection around his heart valve.

He was waiting for a replacement heart valve to come when the Lord called him home.

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Life between the dash.

His older brother spoke eloquently about him, and their love for one another. He spoke about this man's heart for helping others, even strangers, when he saw a need. He told a story that took place at Disney World with two boys, ages twelve and nine. And how the twelve year old boy didn't help a woman struggling to get on a tram ride, while the nine year old rushed to assist her.

 

The older brother was humbled. And thanked his younger brother for the lessons he learned.

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Life between the dash.

For those of us who didn't know this man as well as others did, it was a glimpse into his life and into the man he was.  A man with a huge capacity to love, an ability to make friends wherever he went, and a man who knew our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And after listening to the multitudes of stories about his compassionate ways, we were left with one conclusion.

There was nothing wrong with his heart after all. 

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Go read the poem, Life Between the Dash. It may change your life.