posted 11-08-2002 12:10 AM         

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.

1) You have to laugh and find humor every day.

2) 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!

3) 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.

4) 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!

REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL.