slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Returning after the loss of another cherished Family member, I recalled this previous posting of mine. I wish to pass it on again to all my friends, fellow contributors and OPP associates. I do not know who originally wrote it. It does not matter. It is titled 'The Train.'

It is especially dedicated to my children's grandmother, Barbara, who passed recently at the age of ninety. She remains an inspiration.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"At birth, we board the train and meet our parents, believing they will always travel at our side. However, at some station our parents will step down from the train, leaving us on this journey alone. As time goes by, other people will board the train, and they will be significant...i.e., our siblings, friends, children, and even the love of your life. Many will step down and leave a permanent vacuum. Others will go so unnoticed that we won't realize they vacated their seats. This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes and farewells. Success consists of having a good relationship with all passengers requiring that we give the best of ourselves.

The mystery to everyone is: We do not know at which station we ourselves will step down. So, we must live in the best way, love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are. It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to step down and leave our seat empty, we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life.

I wish you a joyful journey on the train of life. Reap success and give lots of love. More importantly, be thankful for the journey.

Lastly, I thank you for being one of the passengers on my train."

Lonewolf

Beautiful thanks

Big dog

Nice

bahmer

Excellent Slats thanks for sharing that. You were missed on here welcome back and sorry for you and your families loss.

badbobby Loc: texas

thank you Slat

for letting me ride on your train

debeda

Very touching thank you. And so sorry for your loss😔😔

PaulPisces Loc: San Francisco

What a beautiful metaphor. Thank you for sharing it.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Thanks to each of the preceding posters for your thoughts and comments, as they are all appreciated.

alabuck Loc: Tennessee

———————

Terrific post, Slat! I’m very blessed to have been allowed to ride with you on your train ride,even if is been a relatively short ride for our shared passenger-ship ride. To buttress your comment, I find that with every train we ride, whether it’s our own train or that of others, if you let ourselves, we can learn a great deal about our fellow passengers. In turn, that new-found knowledge can give us inside to the other passengers, and they are given insight into ourselves. How we use that knowledge tells the fellow passengers how they should treat us, and, us them.

Of course, there will be those “certain” passengers who will try to fool the others into believing these “certain” passengers are really trying to better their collective lots in life; when, in fact, their history is replete with proof of countless lies and the bearing of false witness agains any and all who may disagree with the “certain” passenger. Unfortunately, there will be some “certain” passanger who will be successful in their quest for domination. It may take a while before those who put this “certain” passenger in their position of authority to see the real self of the “certain” passenger and work to,remove him from his place of authority. Still, there will be others wh,will join forces with the “certain” passanger and try to force their evil ways on the majority ion the passengers. This is done for purely selfish reasons on the part of the “certain” passenger and his band of die-hard followers.

Kindest regards, Slat!
Alabuck.

Mike Easterday

A very good explanation! Thanks!

Mike Easterday

A very good explanation! Thanks!

bggamers Loc: georgia

I printed this off the last time and have passed it on and have mentioned it to many family members of patients that are in the processs of passing it is a beautiful sentiment thanks for sharing

king hall Loc: Tucson,AZ.

Happy to be one of your passengers Sir

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

https://www.linda-ellis.com/the-dash-the-dash-poem-by-linda-ellis-.html

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 their 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 that 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 can still be rearranged.

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?
© 1996-2018, Inspire Kindness, LLC

debeda

That's beautiful thank you☺☺