>Subject: A beautiful story... >From: "Ian Loader" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Wed, May 31, 2006 8:15 pm >To: "Ian & Annette Loader" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >-------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >Subject: Fwd: A beautiful story... > >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 easi ly >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.
To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace-chat [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
