The first day of school our professor
introduced himself and challenged us to get
to know someone we didn't already know. I
stood up to look around when a gentle hand
touched my shoulder.
I turned a round to find a wrinkled,
little old lady beaming up at me with a smile
that lit up her entire being.
She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose.
I'm 87 years old. Can I give you
a hug?"
I laughed and enthusiastically responded,
"Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant
squeeze.
"Why are you in college at such a young,
innocent age?" I asked.
She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a
rich husband, get married, and have a couple
of kids..."
"No seriously," I asked. I was curious
what may have motivated her to be taking on
this challenge at her age.
"I always dreamed of having a college
education and now I'm getting one!" she told
me.
After class we walked to the student union
building and shared a chocolate milkshake.
We became instant friends. Every day for
the next 3 months we would leave class
together and talk nonstop. I was always
mesmerized listening to this "time machine"
as she shared her wisdom and experience with
me.
Over the course of the year, Rose became a
campus icon and she easily made friends
wherever she went.
She loved to dress up and she revealed in
the attention bestowed upon her from the
other students. She was living it up.
At the end of the semester we invited Rose
to speak at our football banquet.
I'll never forget what she taught us. She
was introduced and stepped up to the podium.
As she began to deliver her prepared speech,
she dropped her three by 5 cards on the
floor.
Frustrated and a little embarrassed she
leaned into the microphone and simply said,
"I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for
Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never
get my speech back in order so let me just tell you
what I know."
As we laughed she cleared her throat and
began, "We do not stop playing because we are
old; we grow old because we stop playing.
There are only 4 secrets to staying
young, being happy, and achieving success.
You have to laugh and find humor every day.
You've got to have a dream.
When you lose your dreams, you die.
We have so many people walking around who
are dead and don't even know it!
There is a huge difference between growing
older and growing up.
If you are 19 years old and lie in
bed for one full year and don't do one
productive thing, you will turn 20 years
old. If I am 87 years old and stay
in bed for a year and never do anything I
will turn 88.
Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take
any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up
by always finding opportunity in change. Have
no regrets.
The elderly usually don't have regrets for
what we did, but rather for things we did not
do. The only people who fear death are those
with regrets."
She concluded her speech by courageously
singing "The Rose."
She challenged each of us to study the
lyrics and live them out in our daily lives.
At the year's end Rose finished the
college degree she had begun all those years
ago.
One week after graduation Rose died
peacefully in her sleep.
Over 2.000 college students
attended her funeral in tribute to the
wonderful woman who taught by example that
it's never too late to be all you can
possibly be.
When you finish reading this, please send
this peaceful word of advice to your friends
and family, they'll really enjoy it!
These words have been passed along in
loving memory of ROSE.
REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY.
GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL.
We make a Living by what we get, We make a
Life by what we give.
