I personally take great delight in linking departed family members to their family trees. My research uses FamilySearch.org and the 25 million records they have to do my research. Unfortunately, some records do not exist to find some individuals I'm looking for. I would like to thank the dedication of those customer service representatives at cemeteries I call for burial plot locations, for most cemetery records are not computerized; death cards must be pulled from filing cabinets, and that takes some effort. I appreciate all those Find a Grave photographers who walk the cemeteries with dedication to fulfill my grave photo requests. I especially like the close-up grave photos that display the names and dates in the photo. It takes all of us working together to get the job done for the ultimate benefit of future generations. Sincerely, Donald Holt.

May 2015
The Dash Poem (By Linda Ellis)

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on the tombstone
From beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth
And spoke 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 they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
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 consider what's true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation 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 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?

I personally take great delight in linking departed family members to their family trees. My research uses FamilySearch.org and the 25 million records they have to do my research. Unfortunately, some records do not exist to find some individuals I'm looking for. I would like to thank the dedication of those customer service representatives at cemeteries I call for burial plot locations, for most cemetery records are not computerized; death cards must be pulled from filing cabinets, and that takes some effort. I appreciate all those Find a Grave photographers who walk the cemeteries with dedication to fulfill my grave photo requests. I especially like the close-up grave photos that display the names and dates in the photo. It takes all of us working together to get the job done for the ultimate benefit of future generations. Sincerely, Donald Holt.

May 2015
The Dash Poem (By Linda Ellis)

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on the tombstone
From beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth
And spoke 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 they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
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 consider what's true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation 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 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?