The Left-Behind Dash

I have heard a few times recently about "the dash." Before knowing it had a name I was kind of obsessed with my dash, sometimes to my own detriment. Don't know what "the dash" is? Let me try to explain...
In our lifetime there are two very important dates; the day we are born and the day we die. Many times, when those dates are carved into a headstone and placed at your grave, there is a dash between them. That small dash encompasses your entire life. Everything you did or didn't do. Sometimes that dash represents only hours or a few days. Other times it can represent 20, 40, even 100 years. My obsession with my dash started when I got left behind at age 19. That is when my older brother, Jeff, died. I wondered why him? Why not me? What am I supposed to do that is so dang important that I got gifted with so many more years than him? It can be kind of overwhelming, soul-searching like that! 
Today marks 29 years since Jeff finished his dash. In those years I have married, had babies, gotten degrees, divorced, made friends, lost friends, and started 3 businesses. I have also struggled nearly every day wondering what more I should be doing. What my big impact will be, how I'm going to change the world from my little desk in Indiana. It can be lonely being left behind. But it can be also be so powerful that even on those days when you just want to sleep or goof off or avoid everything instead you grab ahold of that extra time and make it mean something to someone, anyone, who may otherwise have struggled if they had not crossed your path. And to be perfectly honest some days I do just sleep or watch Netflix all day, as I know as well as anyone that you can't help others unless you help yourself first. Those days are usually hard though, and I tend to kick myself for them later. I'm getting better at being more kind to me, but there is plenty of room for improvement!! 
In the meantime I will keep refining my goals, meeting others in the community who can benefit from the services I can offer and who can help me grow as well, and continue to make my "dash" matter. This is why I do what I do. 
What will you do with your dash?