We all start out with a birthday, have a dash in the middle and finish with an end date. How are you living your life in the dash?

My best friend’s father just passed away after a painful period where Alzheimer’s had taken its final toll. I may have met my friend’s father briefly at some point, during our thirty plus year friendship, but I didn’t know him.

I attended his memorial service and one by one members of his family and close friends shared their fondest memories. By society’s standards, Howard was just an ordinary guy. But listening to the love felt for him was quite the opposite. Howie, as he was affectionately called, was quite extra-ordinary.

He grew up an orphan. He had no college education. Howard met his wife Faye and had three beautiful children. Wanting to provide a better life for his family, he applied for a position at IBM. They told him that he didn’t have the educational background necessary. That didn’t stop him. He asked them to take a chance on him. IBM did and he enjoyed a wonderful career there for over thirty years.

Howie was described as always smiling and never saying a harsh word. He took his grandchildren on great adventures to the zoo, museum and parks. Every trip involved a meal at a pancake house.

Howie could have been bitter about his childhood circumstances and how he came into this world. He could have settled for a menial job based on his education. But he didn’t. Howie embraced life with all of its challenges.

He knew how to live his life in the dash. He loved well and was loved in return. How are you living your life in the dash?

Are you holding onto past regrets, mistakes, hurts? You need to let those go. If you find it hard to do, download cut #5 from my Let it Go 10 Meditative Affirmations to Let Go and Let God CD called Letting Go, along with A Prayer for Letting Go and Three Steps to Letting go for free.