It’s the Dash that Counts

Yesterday was George Loveley’s funeral.

We joined the service at All Nations Church, Bedford by zoom and remembered, with gratitude, George’s life (17^th Nov 1920 – 27^th Nov 2020). We were reminded that he was born in 1920, he died in 2020 but it’s ‘the dash’, the 100 years and 10 days between, that counted.

Together we remembered how George filled his ‘dash’. Serving on minesweepers during the war, working as a baker and confectioner then as a fish merchant; we remembered his wife, Violet, his family, his sense of humour, his hobbies…

I remember George as a gentleman, a keen gardener, a church deacon, the church treasurer. I remember what he did, but more especially who he was, that made his ‘dash’ special.

Three musings on my own ‘dash’… that bit between my birth and my death.

1. Some people have said that they want to write off 2020. Different – yes; write it off – no! This year has been part of my ‘dash’. I’ve still had lessons to learn, people to care for, achievements and disappointments. I once heard that you can spend so much time looking at doors that have been closed that you fail to see those that are opening…

• In my ‘dash’ I must be proactive. I can’t passively wait for my ‘dash’ to happen. Preacher and writer Tony Campolo said: ‘Jesus never says to the poor, ‘Come and find the church,’ but he does say to those of us in the church: go into the world and find the poor, hungry, homeless, imprisoned’.

• My ‘dash’ continues today:  a conversation, phone call, smile, opportunity, new idea, need to address, chance meeting… Today may be humdrum and ordinary; but it may be a day that’s really important to me or someone I meet.

So I live today’s bit of my ‘dash’, remembering, reflecting on, and inspired by George’s ‘dash’.