Bereavement

-- by Linda Ellis

My poem, The Dash, is based on that little line on a tombstone, between the dates of birth and death. Ultimately, that dash is a symbol which represents every day we've spent alive on earth. Therefore, how you spend your "dash" is all that really matters. Following is an amazing story about someone whose dash truly made a difference.

-- Author Unknown

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

-- Author Unknown

The baggy yellow shirt had long sleeves, four extra-large pockets trimmed in black thread and snaps up the front.  It was faded from years of wear, but still in decent shape.  I found it in 1963 when I was home from college on Christmas break, rummaging through bags of clothes Mom intended to give away.

"You're not taking that old thing, are you?"  Mom said when she saw me packing the yellow shirt.  "I wore that when I was pregnant with your brother in 1954!"

-- Author Unknown

Sally jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating
room.  She said: "How is my little boy?  Is he going to be all right?
When can I see him?"  The surgeon said, "I'm sorry.  We did all we
could, but your boy didn't make it."  Sally said, "Why do little
children get cancer?  Doesn't God care anymore?  Where were you, God,
when my son needed you?"  The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time

A TRUE Story by Peter Ferrara

This is a very moving story that I stumbled on while searching for true stories. I wrote the author, wife and mother of the story for permission to run it here. She graciously accepted and told me about her site which looks out for children, and I've included that info below. Please take time to read this, and reflect on it, because it pounds home the reason for cherishing the ones we love, and telling them so, as often as possible.

A TRUE STORY -- by Jody Lundie

-- by Kathy Pippig Harris

The man and woman kept the puppies in the backyard with their mother. The father had been a free roaming mix and belonged to a neighbor.

Six weeks after the mother gave birth to the seven pups, the couple put out signs in the front, along the road: "Free Puppies".

A TRUE DIARY by Stuart Witte, former Navy pilot

A True Story -- Author unknown

There is a kind soul working in the dead letter office of the U.S. Postal Service somewhere...

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God, so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could, so she dictated these words:

A TRUE Story -- Author Unknown

The 26-year-old mother stared down at her son who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent she wanted her son to grow upand fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible. The leukemia would see to that. But, she still wanted her son's dreams to come true. She took her son's hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life? "