"THE DASH"

Hi folks, this is Two Texas PawPaw. Once again, my daughter Kathy came through. Following is one of the most beautiful poems I've ever come accross. And, once again, I did not write this and once again, I wish I had. It's titled "THE DASH", and it goes like this:-----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 THE DATE OF HER BIRTH, AND SPOKE OF THE FOLLOWING DATE WITH TEARS---BUT HE SAID WHAT MATTERED MOST OF ALL, WAS THE DASH BETWEEN THE YEARS---FOR THAT DASH REPRESENTS ALL THE TIMETHAT SHE SPENT ALIVE ON THIS 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 RE-ARRANGED---IF WE COULD JUST SLOW DOWN ENOUGH TO CONSIDER WHATS 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 RE-HASH---WOULD YOU BE PROUD OF THE THINGS THEY SAY ABOUT HOW YOU SPENT YOUR DASH?:-----This is Two Texas PawPaw, signing off.

"FAMILY"

Hi folks, this is Two Texas PawPaw. Every so often, I run accross a piece of material that tugs my heart. It is so beautiful, I decided to include it in my "Tales Of Two Texas PawPaw". I didn't write it but I wish I had. It was sent to me by my daughter, and I'll always be thankful that she did. It's called "FAMILY"-----I RAN INTO A STRANGER AS HE PASSED BY---OH EXCUSE ME PLEASE, WAS MY REPLY---HE SAID, PLEASE EXCUSE ME TOO---I WASN'T WATCHING FOR YOU---WE WERE VERY POLITE, THIS STRANGER AND I---WE WENT ON OUR WAY, AND WE SAID GOODBYE---BUT AT HOME A DIFFERENT STORY IS TOLD---HOW WE TREAT OUR LOVED ONES, YOUNG AND OLD---LATER THAT DAY, COOKING THE EVENING MEAL---MY SON STOOD BESIDE ME VERY STILL---WHEN I TURNED, I NEARLY KNOCKED HIM DOWN---MOVE OUT OF THE WAY, I SAID WITH A FROWN---HE WALKED AWAY, HIS LITTLE HEART BROKEN---I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW HARSHLY I'D SPOKEN---WHILE I LAY AWAKE IN BED---GOD'S STILL, SMALL VOICE, CAME TO ME AND SAID---WHILE DEALING WITH A STRANGER, COMMON COURTESY YOU USE---BUT THE FAMILY YOU LOVE, YOU SEEM TO ABUSE---GO AND LOOK ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR---YOU'LL FIND SOME FLOWERS, THERE BY THE DOOR---THOSE ARE THE FLOWERS HE BROUGHT FOR YOU---HE PICKED THEM HIMSELF, PINK, YELLOW AND BLUE---HE STOOD VERY QUIETLY, NOT TO SPOIL THE SURPRISE---YOU NEVER SAW THE TEARS THAT FILLED HIS LITTLE EYES---BY THIS TIME I FELT VERY SMALL---AND NOW, MY TEARS, BEGAN TO FALL---I QUIETLY WENT AND KNELT BY HIS BED---WAKE UP LITTLE ONE, WAKE UP, I SAID---ARE THESE THE FLOWERS YOU PICKED FOR ME?---HE SMILED AND SAID, I FOUND THEM OUT BY THE TREE---I PICKED THEM BECAUSE THEIR PRETTY LIKE YOU---I KNEW YOU'D LIKE THEM, ESPECIALLY THE BLUE---I SAID, SON, I'M VERY SORRY FOR THE WAY I ACTED TODAY---I SHOULDN'T HAVE YELLED AT YOU THAT WAY---HE SAID, OH MOM, THAT'S OKAY---I STILL LOVE YOU ANYWAY---I SAID, SON, I LOVE YOU TOO--AND I LOVE THE FLOWERS, ESPECIALLY THE BLUE.-----Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves MORE into work, than into our own family, an unwise investment indeed, don't you think? So what is behind the story? Do you know what the word FAMILY really means?---(F)ather (A)nd (M)other (I) (L)ove (Y)ou.....This is Two Texas PawPaw, signing off.

"JEDIDIAH MOLEEN"

Hi folks, this is Two Texas PawPaw. This is the story of an old colored farmer sorta down on his luck and decided it was time to turn to the Lord for help. So early one morning, he went out to his old run down barn and dropped to his knees. His prayer went something like this:---LORD, THIS IS JEDIDIAH MOLEEN, CALLING ON YOU THIS MORNING---I KNOW I SHOULD'T DO THAT WITHOUT GIVING YOU SOME WARNING---BUT THINGS AIN'T BEEN TOO GOOD HERE ON MY PIECE OF LAND---BAD LUCK COMING IN BUCKETS FULL AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND---THE STORMS CAME LAST WEEK AND BEAT MY CROP IN THE GROUND---MY OLD HOUND DOG RAN OFF AND HE AIN'T NOWHERE TO BE FOUND---MY WIFE'S BEEN SICKLY LATELY, DON'T EVEN FEEL LIKE PRAYING---THE OLD COW QUIT GIVING MILK AND THE HENS DONE QUIT LAYING---MY OLD JALOPY BROKE DOWN AND THE WINDMILL, IT WON'T PUMP---AND I BEEN DOWN IN MY BACK FROM TRYING TO DIG UP THAT OLD STUMP---LAST WINTER I LOST MY BABY GIRL TO THAT TERRIBLE TYPHOID DESEASE---AND THATS ONE REASON I'M OUT HERE ON MY KNEES---THE BANKER DONE CUT OFF ALL MY LOANS, HE SAID THERE'S NO MORE DOUGH---I GUESS IT'S CAUSE I AIN'T PAID HIM THE TEN DOLLARS I BORROWED THREE WEEKS AGO---I KNOW I'VE NEGLECTED OUR PREACHER AND YOUR HOUSE DOWN THE ROAD---AND I MAKE EXCUSES IT'S BECAUSE OF ALL THIS HEAVY LOAD---MAYBE YOU COULD TURN MY LUCK AROUND, YOU KNOW I'VE HAD MY SHARE---JUST GRANT ME ONE PIECE OF GOOD LUCK, I'LL TAKE ANYTHING YOU GOT TO SPARE---I'M SURE THERE'S LOTS OF FOLKS OUT THERE NEEDING TO RING YOUR LINE---AND THEIR TROUBLES ARE PROBABLY A LOT WORSE THAN MINE---SO I'LL CLOSE NOW LORD AND LET SOME OTHER FOLKS CALL IN---AND THE GOOD LORD WILLING AND THE CREEKS DON'T RISE, I'LL RING YOUR LINE AGAIN---THANK YOU SO MUCH LORD, FOR YOUR TIME:-----This is Two Texas PawPaw, singing off.