ROSE

The other day, I was going through papers and came across something that I had received and
kept several years ago. After reading it, I wanted to share it with you. I don't know who
the author is, but I am glad I received a copy. Maybe some of you have read this yourselves.
If not, I hope you will enjoy it and make you reflect as much as it did me!

The first day of college, 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
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 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 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 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!

These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.

REMEMBER, GROWING OLD 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. Lord,
I love You and need you. For without You I can do nothing.

What are your dreams? What is your out-look on life? Are you a positive influence or
a negative one? Do you see the glass as half full or half empty? I hope you all enjoyed reading
this as much as I did. Have a WONDERFUL DAY, and may you all be blessed!