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| Rose |
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 and 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 our 4 years, Rose became a campus icon and
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 in every respect. At the end of
the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet.
Usually we had a famous player or known professional as our
"feature", but as more or less of a joke, we decided to invite
Rose in to speak to us that evening...
She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to
deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her 3 X 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 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 four 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
know it.
There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.
If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year
and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty 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 years end Rose finished the college degree she had begun
all 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.
Hope your life has a little Rose in it also ...
-- Unknown |
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