This is a beautiful story someone sent me years ago. I have no idea who the author is but I thank them for taking the time to write the story and make it an internet legend. Read it with your heart and allow her spirit to fill you.<\/p>\n
Rose<\/p>\n
The first day of school our professor introduced himself 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?”<\/p>\n I laughed and enthusiastically responded, “Of course you may!” and “Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?” I asked.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n “I always dreamed of having a college education and now I’m getting After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football I’ll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, “We do not stop playing There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving We have so many people walking around who are dead and don’t even know it!<\/p>\n There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.<\/p>\n If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don’t do Anybody can grow older. That doesn’t take any talent or ability. The idea The elderly usually don’t have regrets for what we did, but rather for<\/span> She concluded her speech by courageously singing “The Rose.”<\/p>\n She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our At the year’s end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.<\/p>\n Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.<\/p>\n REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. “Good friends are like stars………You don’t always see them, but you
\nand 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.<\/p>\n
\nshe gave me a giant squeeze.<\/p>\n
\nShe jokingly replied, “I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, and
\nhave a couple of kids…”<\/p>\n
\n“No seriously,” I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to
\nbe
\ntaking on this challenge at her age.<\/p>\n
\none!” she told me.<\/p>\n
\nmilkshake.<\/p>\n
\ntogether and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this “time
\nmachine” as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.<\/p>\n
\nfriends wherever she went.<\/p>\n
\nthe other students. She was living it up.<\/p>\n
\nbanquet.<\/p>\n
\nthe podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her
\nthree by five cards on the floor.<\/p>\n
\nsimply said, “I’m sorry I’m so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this
\nwhiskey is killing me! I’ll never get my speech back in order so let me just
\ntell you what I know.”<\/p>\n
\nbecause we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.<\/p>\n
\nsuccess. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You’ve got to have a
\ndream. When you lose your dreams, you die.<\/p>\n
\none productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven
\nyears old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn
\neighty-eight.<\/p>\n
\nis to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.<\/p>\n
\n<\/span>things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those
\nwith
\nregrets.”<\/p>\n
\ndaily lives.<\/p>\n
\nyears ago.<\/p>\n
\nwonderful woman who taught by example that it’s never too late to be all
\nyou can possibly be.<\/p>\n
\nyour friends and family, they’ll really enjoy it!<\/p>\n
\nWe make a Living by what we get, We make a Life by what we give.<\/p>\n
\nIf God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.<\/p>\n
\nknow they are always there<\/span><\/p>\n