Embrace the Dash
In yesterday’s post, I reflected on my grandpa’s legacy. It was through the lens of a long life, well lived. It’s somewhat simple to look in the rearview mirror to see what legacy was written over the course of decades. In general, the entire idea of legacy is assessed through the lens of what happened in the past, and the future-looking possibilities of what could come from it.
Last night, I attended our youth group’s grad banquet. This has been one of my favorite annual events for the ten years I’ve been in youth ministry. It’s a night of reflection, story-telling, laughs, and goodbyes. Though I will miss these students when they leave for their next chapter in the coming months, I’m always excited about what’s to come. So many choices. So many opportunities.
As the pastor shared at my grandpa’s gravesite service, all gravestones have two dates (beginning and end), with a dash between them. That dash represents all we do in life. The span between birth and death. While our date of birth and date of passing are notable milestones, the dash is what truly matters.
Graduation is where the dash comes to life for these teenagers. The slate is cleaned, the freedom is upon them, and a world of possibilities has opened up before their eyes. This is a terrifying yet amazing opportunity. Every day when we wake up, we get to choose. The world will tell us to stay in our little box, embracing common norms and expectations. Play it safe, be responsible, don’t make waves, and get to the other side in one piece. Sure, that’s one way to look at it. But here’s another: nobody gets out alive. Every day we wake up is another opportunity to explore what the dash means to us. You could certainly chase money, but that bank balance doesn’t get to follow you on the other side of the dash. Status? It doesn’t, either. Fancy titles? Nope, sorry. It’s funny how we so often pursue the very things that can’t come with us. It's like aggressively playing a game of Monopoly, eventually winning with a huge pile of cash and a collection of hotels, only to realize the game is over and it doesn’t really matter from here on out. Having this happen for a silly board game is one thing, but to have it happen for a lifetime? That’s a tragedy. That’s why the dash is so important.
For these high school grads, the journey has just begun. If I were to equate it to a basketball game, the high school grads are 30 seconds into the first quarter of life……they haven’t even broken a sweat yet. I wish the following for everyone, but I especially wish it for my young high school friends. Embrace the dash. Know how special it is and never take it for granted. This is your opportunity to carve your own path, create change, make a difference, and write your legacy. Embrace the dash!