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, 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 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 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 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 even 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 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 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.
When you finish reading this, please spread this peaceful words 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. God promises a
safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you to it, He will bring you
through it.
Related
inspiring thoughts about age.
The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie
about your age.~Lucille Ball
Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't
matter ~Satchel Paige
Don't worry about
senility, my grandfather used to say.
When it hits you, you won't know it.
~Bill
Cosby
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Tim
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