>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 don't think so... look out your window when
>you wake in the morning and think about it).
>

>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."
>
>they are always there."