Yesterday, family and friends at the request of her husband of only a year a few months, Larry, gathered to her Celebration of Life. We came to chat about her, see photos of her and to hear stories of her. Though Trish and I only knew each other for a short time, that was enough time for me to know how special she was. Every day at work she'd IM me with a "Hello Miss Jessie" and I'd respond, "trish the dish, wassup!" She had this thing with making people smile and I'll never forget her as long as I live. My heart goes out to her friends and family, especially Larry who is a wonderful man and I know will miss her like crazy.
A few weeks ago I was at a seminar where we talked about stacking your priorities and living life to its fullest. The presenter read this poem and it really touched me. Hope it does the same for you.
The Dash Poem, 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 the 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 matter 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?
3 comments:
I just came across your blog entry about Tricia. I've known Tricia since I was about...oh, 16 I guess? (I'm 36 now). Trish briefly dated my idiot brother (she got over him, thank goodness), but she remained a part of our family for the rest of her life. I used to visit her a weekend here or there when she lived in Dover. I LOVED her eclectic art style - her home in Dover was this cool mix of funky eclectic with a touch of whimsy - I just loved it. I've never been able to decorate - things I put together just tend to look cluttered and pathetic. I remember on more than one occasion huffing in frustration to Tricia saying "How come everything you pick looks so cool, and everything I pick ends up looking like a four year old decorated the place?"
But I digress. I loved Trish like a sister, and through the years, though I moved away and she moved too. For many years, we always caught up with each other on Christmas Eve at the legendary "Christmas Eve at the Evans' Lasagna Dinner". Trish and her mom, Pat, were just hysterical. I miss them both so much.
Just wanted to share this with you. I'm so glad I tripped across your blog - Trish the Dish indeed. lol. She was an amazing person, wasn't she?
she was amazing indeed. there is not a week that goes by that i do not think of her in some way. when it's 11:11, when i'm working on our work event and thinking of past events when she was a big part of them, when something happens and i know she's laugh, when i hear Jamie Cullem and most of all when i sit there and look at my current situation when i'm sad or depressed, i look up and say, hi trish. things look a lot better to me then. it's just amazing how much she touched my life in such a short time. i do miss her. thanks for finding that post and making me think of her just now :)
I knew Tricia for many years, met her when she was in art school in Nashua, she used to frequent my families store shopping for art supplies.
We lost touch the past few years due to work and travels.
When we did slow down due to my dad being diagnosed with ALS and Tricia being diagnosed with cancer,
we were able to reconnect and share some laughs, emails and long phone calls. I knew she would fight as hard as she could and I talked with her about many alternative treatments that may be available to her. I only just now learned of her passing.
She was a beautiful and wonderful soul and a free spirit in the truest sense. She will be missed greatly by myself and anyone and everyone lucky enough to have met and known her in her very short but always colorful life.
I will miss most the long walks we shared at the seashore and long drives to nowhere with lots of coffee and one cd after another, art was her first love but music was a close second.
We saw many concerts together and shared lots of crazy adventures that I will never forget.
My heart will always be missing Tricia and I am blessed to have known her and called he my friend.
We had some great adventures
Ms Trish the Dish! Lots of long conversations, wonderful dinners and too many Mojitos!
Love you always and will forever miss you.
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