I accidentally stumbled on the book "The Dash" Making a Difference with Your Life. Though I'm sure I have received this poem in a forward somewhere along the line, I was moved by it's powerful message.

"The Dash" by Linda Elllis is such a beautiful reminder of the power of "how we live and love". Once again, it  comes back to attitude and slowing down.

"I read of 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 the date of her 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 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 cosider what's true and real and always try to understand the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger and show appreiation 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 spent your dash?"

Thank you, Linda Ellis

How are YOU deciding to spend your dash today?

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"The prize is in the process." Rolf Gates, Meditations from the Mat

I began writing Breathe on August 1, 2007. Creating my second book has been an amazing 2 1/2 year process. So many ups and downs, decisions to make, writing and rewriting to do. Wow! Lots and lots of learning and growing for me. Many times I have imagined the book in hand or on the bookstore table. One step further, I have envisioned the day it is ready to share  with parents, caregivers, everyone..... making a difference  one word, story and tool at a time.

Breathe slid off my plate last week and into final, FINAL production. At the moment, there is nothing left for me to do on the  book itself. Ahhhh,  a long sigh of relief is in order. For me, it's been more of a short sigh.  In fact, a personal mini-celebration in the form of a day off or a breather from my work is called for because "I DID IT!" I brought my dream to reality.

Confession: I haven't really taken the time to pause and bask in the glow of  my accomplishment. I'm already on to  the next "important" thing. Almost immediately, I went into full gear for the next phase of the process: marketing. In fact, I started that phase before the book was completed.

There is always more to want, always more to do. Seems like human nature to want more, bigger, better even after we have just accomplished something big (or am I the only one??) It's easy to become impatient with the process with a tendency to rush to get "there".

Sometimes the process is difficult, stretching us even beyond where we would have chosen to be stretched (like having a child with autism). Sometimes the process is messy and complicated and hard work or even scary. (Again, like having a child with autism or even  having any child). Sometimes the process is beautiful... like taking that walk up the mountain and remembering to pause and look around once in awhile. 

The process is the rudder that steers us toward our destinations.  Personally, I'd like to set an intention to mindfully pay attention  and even stop to   enjoy that process much more often. And, pause to celebrate the accomplishments at the top of the mountain. Cheers!

PS As soon as Breathe is available, I think I need to read it. I'm still learning. Somehow, I almost forgot, "the prize is in the process."

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 This quote arrived in my inbox within a newsletter I subscribe to. Very powerful  especially as it applies to the journey in living with a child with autism.

"Have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, as if they were locked rooms, or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able the live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer."

~~Rainer Maria Rilke

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