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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 herentire 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 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 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. 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 send this peaceful word 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.

Thanks for sharing those inspiring words Jason!

"The Rose" by Bette Midler

Some say love , it is a river that drowns the tender reed .
Some say love , it is a razor that leaves your soul to bleed .
Some say love , it is a hunger , an endless aching need .
I say love , it is a flower , and you it's only seed .
It's the heart , afraid of breaking , that never learns to dance .
It's the dream , afraid of waking , that never takes a chance .
It's the one who won't be taken , who cannot seem to give .
And the soul , afraid of dyin' , that never learns to live .
When the night has been too lonely , and the road has been too long ,
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong ,
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows ,
Lies the seed , that with the sun's love , in the spring becomes The Rose .

Thank you so much for sharing this with us

thanks for sharing....that really makes you think alot about things

Now, I miss Rose...