Please note that these links do exist -- but
they're in the process of being shuffled around a little because of some
asshole making an issue of my web sites in court. If one doesn't work today
-- it will very soon. I'm guessing November 30, 2005!
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 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 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 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.
Author:
Unknown
Remember, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY GROWING
UP IS OPTIONAL
