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 around 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 eighty-seven 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,
have a couple of children, and then retire and
travel." "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 three 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 reveled 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 five cards on the floor.
Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into
the microphone and simply said "I'm sorry that I am
so jittery. I gave up desserts for Lent, and this
craving for chocolate 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
a few secrets to staying young, being happy and
achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor
everyday."
"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 do not do one productive thing, you will turn 20 years
old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a
year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.
Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent
or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding
the 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.
those years ago.
One week after graduation Rose died peacefully
in her sleep. Over two thousand 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.
Remember.....Growing Older is mandatory
Growing up is optional
Keep Laughing ......
Keep Dreaming ......
Keep Growing ......
Regret Nothing ......
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