When you read somebody's gravestone as their last message to the living it's often the - ( dash) which holds the most significant meaning.
Here lies:
Fred Bloggs 1930 - 2011
That little symbol the - represents the impression, experiences, love, wisdom we have left on those who mourn our loss, that little symbol - when you think about it, can take a lifetime to earn, that little symbol can define our contribution to the ever expanding meaning of life, either positively or negatively.
We all earn that little - but in what context is it remembered.
The symbol - becomes the sum of our total experiences in our finite life which defines our individuality & perception, in otherwords that little symbol - becomes a pictorial representation of our meaning to life......
Time for another beer
Cheers
Campfire