Dreams - a beautiful story

adymarie

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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 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
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.
> > > >
> > > > 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.
> > > >
 

jeanie g.

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Adrienne, Thank you for an inspiring story. What a wise woman, and what a success story!
 
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