Southern Chapter

Presidents Message

Welcome from the Southern Chapter. If you missed symposium let me, tell you we certainly missed you. We have one of the strongest chapters in AIFD and that was exemplified in the standing room only board meeting at national. I can only say how truly humbling it was to be elected as your president for this coming year.

Reflection was the theme of this year’s symposium and in my acceptance speech I relived my floral journey starting in 2000. I reflected on the great mentors, friends and relationships that I have made in the 25 years off and on in the organization.

I have been asked to publish and share my speech and hopefully I will share that with you next focal points issue.

In closing I want to share a poem with you called The Dash by Linda Ellis.

I read of a man who stood to speak at a 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 can still 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 on 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?

I look forward to living my dash with each of you. I am always only an email or phone call away. I look forward to leading the Southern Chapter of AIFD.

See you at GATHER!

J Ross Railey, AIFD, CEJ, CFD
President, AIFD Southern Chapter