What's in your 'dash?'

A friend once told me there are four things you will find on a tombstone – a name, a date of birth, a date of death, and a dash between the dates.  The name and the two dates – well their purpose is self evident.  But what about the dash, just what is that? 
My friend told me the dash represents everything you have done between the two dates – in other words, your life.  Finding myself solidly into middle age, I often think about the dash as the second date is now closer than the first for me. 
Just what is in the dash?  What are the things that I will remember at the end, and how will I be remembered by others?  Is there anything that I will leave that will make the world a better place?  You see, there’s a lot in the dash. 
Every word, kind or not; every deed, good or bad is in the dash.  Every plan, every dream; every disappointment, every scheme is in the dash.  You will find your friends, your enemies, the people you took the time to know and those whom you missed – they’re all in the dash. 
Your children, your grandchildren, your spouse, your siblings, your parents, all your family – they’re in the dash, too. 
Every task, each walk in the park, every job, each party, every funeral can be found in the dash.  Each time I raised my thoughts to heaven, made an honorable choice, took the road less traveled – I can see those in the dash, also.
You see the dash knows and holds everything there is about me.  What parts of the dash do I want people to remember?  What do I want to include in the dash before I leave this earth? 
None of us knows how many minutes we have left.  What do we need to do, what still needs to be added to the dash?  What is in the dash that really matters?
I don’t know how many of you saw “The Bucket List” with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson.  I saw it because Morgan Freeman is one of my favorite actors. 
The primary characters of the movie were two gentlemen who had been diagnosed with terminal diseases.  They made up a list of things (the bucket list) they wanted to do before they “kicked the bucket”. 
When I was a young man, I had a lot of things on my “bucket list” that weren’t really very important as it turned out.  I wanted to travel (I did).  I wanted to have a good job (I do).  I wanted to be able to play a reasonably good round of golf (I think I can). 
But there was no real sense of satisfaction associated with these things. 
Don’t misunderstand.  They were enjoyable, but not satisfying.  As I got older and began to think about that dash, I had to ask myself did I really want to be remembered as someone who traveled a lot, or had a nice house, or played a good round of golf.  Those things all began to look pretty shallow and superficial. 
What did I want added to the dash?  What is on my bucket list today?  On my bucket list today, I find the things that people might reflect upon at the end. 
Now you might think that’s a little maudlin, or maybe it’s just an acknowledgment of reality. 
You see, I have had the privilege of ministering to a number of people in their last hours.  There are a few things I’ve learned from those experiences. 
At the very end, people always reflect upon the things for which they wish to be remembered.  They always reflect upon the things that are truly important.  They talk about family, friends, and their God. 
I’ve never heard anyone say at that moment, “Boy, did I earn a lot of money” or “I sure do wish I’d spent more time at work” or “I feel like all that time I spent  at the kids’ baseball games was wasted”.  No, I can’t recall hearing any of those things.
As I reflect upon the dash, I have a different bucket list than the one I had years ago.  Maybe I’ve learned a little.  I hope so. 
That list has a whole bunch of different things on it now.  Who do I need to forgive, or to whom must I apologize?  Is there anyone to whom I must say, “I love you”? 
Who needs a hug, a kind word, or an affectionate gesture?  Have I spent enough time with the sunrise and the sunset?  Do I have any sense at all of who my God is and have I done any things that will please Him?  Did I ever really spend any quality time with my Lord?
Realizing that I’m never going to “earn” my way into heaven, I still have to display some outward indication of my faith. 
What’s in the dash?  Did I love God and my neighbor?  Was I faithful with a few things?  Will I hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant”?