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 87 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 children, and then retire and travel."

"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
milk-shake.  We became instant friends.  Every day for the next 3 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 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 and 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 3 x 5 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 4 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 19 years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one
productive thing, you will turn 20 years old.  If I am 87 years old and if
I stay in bed for a year and never do anything, I will turn 88.  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 2,000 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.

WORDS TO "THE ROSE":

The Rose by Manda McBroom from the soundtrack to "The Rose, Bette Midler.

Some say love, it is a river that drowns the tender reed.  Some say love,
it is a razor that leaves your soul to bleed.  Some say love, it is a
hunger, an endless aching need.  I say love, it is a flower, and you it's
only seed.

It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance.  It's the
dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance.  It's the one who
won't be taken, who cannot seem to give, and the soul afraid of dyin' that
never learns to live.

When the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long, and you
think that love is only for the lucky and the strong, just remember in the
winter far beneath the winter snow, lies the seed that with the sun's love
in the spring becomes the rose.

Index Page
Flowers Page Four
Scenics Page Two
Critters Page Two
Tiled Backgrounds Page One
Flowers Page Five
Tiled Backgrounds Page Two
Tiled Backgrounds Page Three
Product Index
Onward to Home Page One