The DASH revisited

At that moment of conception your life starts to map out. The absolute second fertilisation takes place cells develop at a frightening pace. In those first few minutes and hours there is the propensity for all sorts of horrific things happening and yet at the moment of the miracle of birth there are surprisingly few abnormalities. Most of the abnormalities of our features, bodies and soul are the result of what we (or others) choose to do with our life. We are the masters of our universe. What happens to us is based on decisions that we make in life.

To a certain extent I am a fatalist as I believe that date of our death is as set as the date of our birth. What is important is what we do with the DASH between the two.

So our DASH starts the second we take our first breath. We might need some help with this but that's what the medical team is there for. And the DASH ends as our last breath leaves our body. We might have been helped to achieve this last breath or it might be natural. We come into the world surrounded by people, mom is definitely there and hopefully dad is too. Some medical people will also be there – the number depending on the simplicity or complexity of your birth. Unfortunately too frequently our DASH ends alone. Not many people have the blessing of leaving in the company of family and friends. None of this matters, none of this is going to change the outcome. The only thing you have control over is your DASH.

It doesn't matter if you are a Red Indian, a Hare Krishna, a Roman Catholic, an agnostic. None of this matters in the big picture – your DASH is going to end. Your belief promises you certain things after death but whatever happens after death is not all that important. What you have done with your DASH is more important than anything else.

You have been a ruthless manipulator of people – that is your DASH and the people around you will either hate you or be scared of you. If this is what you want for your DASH great! It's not what I want.

So what do I want?

I am a human and as such I have done things I am proud of and I have done things that shame me but as long as the good outweighs the bad, I reckon I have lived a good life.

I did not have a great marriage but I did something right – I had three great kids. One was taken away too early for us – her family – but she was taken away at the correct time for her DASH. I cannot question the author of our existence. During her DASH she lived life to the fullest, she had a great sense of humour, she drew people to her, she was beautiful inside and out.

My other two children are doing such a great job of their DASH as are their wonderful spouses and children. I am proud of them.

So back to my DASH. I was headstrong and made some bad choices. I could have been a draughtswoman or architect with my imagination and Mathematical ability but I chose teaching. If we put the relative earnings in the scales of justice – my choice was wrong. A teacher is never rich. Oops sorry! Wrong wording! A teacher is rich. I look at the lives I have touched in a positive way – no amount of money could give me the rewards that I achieve almost daily on FB. My ex-pupils are now my friends and we share all manner of things – all of this makes my DASH very rich. As a teacher I have recently received a very high accolade. I met up with one of my most disgusting pupils of a few years back. This boy made my life miserable – I hated having him in my class and he seemed to taint the entire class. He approached me one day last year and very politely asked me if he could say something.

I swallowed the obvious comment and said "Fine."

He bowed his head and said "I am so sorry for my behaviour when you were at the school."

I said "Fine – it was that sort of behaviour that drove me out of a profession I loved."

"I realise now," he said, "that I lost a great opportunity to learn from your experience."

THAT was one of the highest accolades that that boy could give. I humbly thanked him and said "I hope it helps you to make better choices in the future."

To which he replied "Yes and I am sorry!"

I could almost see his DASH expanding in front of me and I think my DASH expanded as well.

We need people to help us achieve a good DASH. 

I am listening to Michael Buble as I write this. He is singing a fitting phrase to end this – my harangue on the DASH!

"Hold on to me tight we are stronger together than we could ever be alone."