Long, but good reading

[Ed_L]

Here's one I received in e-mail today. My grandmother's name was Rose, so I thought I'd pass it on, for what it's worth.

> >
> > >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.
> > > >
> > > >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.

[d_kendal]

that's a sweet story Ed, thanks for sharing that. thats an interesting point it makes.

- David

[DJ Dubovsky]

That is touching Ed.
DJ

[Flora]

...for what it's worth...

..well, Ed...I think this is worth a lot particularly, as David says, for the point it makes!!!!

Thanks for sharing it!!!