A sweet celebration

I took a couple of hourse of vacation time today to attend my friend Melanie's 20th anniversary celebration at Chick-Fil-A Headquarters. What an awesome, awesome thing! I have heard from others that these celebrations are fantastic, but this is the first one I'd ever been to myself. It started off with a slideshow set to the song "Legacy" by Nichole Nordeman. This has been one of my favorite songs since I first heard it, but hearing it in conjunction with a sweet slide show of Melanie's life, her boys, her parents, etc....BOO HOO! It was just awesome. After that, they did a hilarious skit magnifying, of course, some of Melanie's quirks and personality traits. I think there were several times that I was laughing louder than anyone else in the room! They nailed it from her every morning drive through Dunkin Donuts for coffee to her dedication to her job, her directness, and the way she strives for perfection, of course, poking fun all along the way. After that, some of her bosses spoke, Truett and Dan spoke, then Melanie had her chance to offer her thanks to the people who have truly been 'family' to her these last 20 years. She did a great job paying tribute to the many co-workers, family and friends who were there. Melanie has been a great friend to me, especially during some very trying times, so I've known my own appreciation for her for years, but it made me even more proud to be her friend when SO many awesome things were being said about her. She lives her life by very high standards and I'm honored to have her and several people like her in my life.

One thing someone said toward the end though, I can't remember who, mentioned that someone else had said at their 20th anniversary celebration that doing this was a bit like being at your own funeral because, as a whole, we don't always take the time to tell our friends (and family) all we may want them to know of our love and appreciation for them. I thought about that all the way home and although I feel this is a standard I try to live by since the sudden death of a friend several years ago (you can go here to read about her), I am sure I fall short at times. It made me think of this poem I read a while back:

The Dash

(by Linda Ellis)

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

He noted that first came her date of her 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 she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
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 that 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 guess what I'm really thinking here is that I am thrilled Melanie had a chance to hear, while she can, such a great tribute to her, to have so many kind words spoken about her, and I'm thrilled that she was able to have so many people just let her know that they love and appreciate her on a personal level. Great job Melanie....I am proud of you and I am proud to be your friend!

Like so many people did for Melanie today, we also need to be sure we stop to thank the people who make our lives complete because it's such an encouragement to that person and as I've heard said before, 'you never know how soon it will be too late.'

I saw how much it can mean today, and it's powerful stuff.