The Dash
At Grace Lane, everything we do is guided by the idea of The Dash; a concept of living with as much purpose as you can TODAY, and not just planning for tomorrow.
Inspired by a poem by Linda Ellis, this fundamental aspect of our planning approach means we focus first and foremost on your life. We then help ensure your money supports this as effectively as possible.
Life is not a straight line, this we know. Nothing is guaranteed, and that is why it is so important to make sure that the way we use our money is aligned with the things that bring us the most joy.
We view our work here at Grace Lane as being about so much more than just numbers. We help lay the paving for your path forward and then walk it beside you steadily towards your dreams.
The concept of The Dash is particularly poignant to us following the devastating loss of Greg’s wife, Melanie, who passed away in 2019 following a tragic car accident. It has been a mountain for Greg and he is still living through the grieving process. For the Grace Lane team, it brought home the reality of the frailty of life and the importance of making every moment count.
Those who knew Melanie, knew her as a person who was intent on giving the best of herself while making the most of each and every day. She was passionate, energetic, and intent on living well. She was an accomplished tennis player, a passionate animal lover, she enjoyed wine, telling a good story (with a little embellishment), astrology, estate sales, and was active in her community, volunteering with CASA, Make a Wish, and Mobile Loaves & Fishes.
Melanie’s father, who passed away only weeks before her, had given her a copy of the poem The Dash, and she kept it with her all the time. It was a reminder to live her life to the fullest; to stay focused on the space between. Those of us who knew her would agree that she succeeded. Melanie will always be an important part of Grace Lane.
In loving memory of Melanie Rychlik
The Dash Poem
I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning… to the end.
He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke of 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 they spent alive on earth and now only those who loved them 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 still can be rearranged.
To 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 lived your dash?
By Linda Ellis, Copyright © 2020 Inspire Kindness, thedashpoem.com