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From: dmoses
Date: 10-17-2005, 04:35 PM (1 of 5)
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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 betaking 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. 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. "Good friends are like stars.........You don't always see them, but you know they are always there." Take care,
Donna |
User: dmoses
Member since: 02-22-2002 Total posts: 964 
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From: MaryW
Date: 10-17-2005, 05:20 PM (2 of 5)
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Donna, thank you so much.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: Magot
Date: 10-17-2005, 05:40 PM (3 of 5)
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What a cracking old girl, Donna. I knew a grand old lady when I was a teen (I used to get her shopping) who told me the day she stopped leaning would bethe day she died. I've always tried to keep learning. love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: Chrysantha
Date: 10-17-2005, 09:43 PM (4 of 5)
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sounds like my grandmother...if Alzheimers hadn't taken her mind away, she'd be learning too...I often think about how my grandparents and my dad would have loved computers, the new sewing machines, cell phones...new cars... All the things we take for granted and have or think we HAVE to have... My grandparents just wanted us grand kids, jobs, a home and a car...the rest was gravy to them...but they learned and taught US every day... Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414 
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From: marl
Date: 10-18-2005, 08:59 AM (5 of 5)
| What a great story. Hair may turn gray, flesh may sag but as long as our spirit and will to go on participating in life continues, we are not getting older in any ways that matter; we are only getting better. Imagine living in a way that influences the lives of as many people as the lady in the story did. |
User: marl
Member since: 12-03-2004 Total posts: 16 |
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