>Here's a nice one. Hope everyone is well. Cheers, Donna > >Subject: Fw: Rose at 87 > > > >-----Kind of touching- > > > > > > > >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 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. > > > >God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you to it, > >He will bring you through it. > > > >Pass this message to 7 people except you and me. You will receive a miracle > >tomorrow. > > > >If you choose not, then you refuse to bless someone else. > > > >"Good friends are like stars.........You don't always see them, but you > >know they are always there." > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Share a single photo or an entire slide show right inside your e-mail with MSN Premium: Join now and get the first two months FREE*