An 87 old college student named Rose

– Editedversion by Pat Ness

1. The first day of school ourprofessor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn'talready 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 witha smile that lit up her entirebeing.

2. She said, "Hi handsome. My nameis Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"I laughed andenthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!"and she gave me a giant squeeze. "Why are you in college atsuch a young, innocent age?"I asked. She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet arich 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 herage.

3. "I always dreamed of having acollege education and now I'm getting one!"she told me. After class we walkedto the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the nextthree months, we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine"asshe shared her wisdom and experience with me.

4. Over the course of the year,Rose became a campus icon and sheeasily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she revelled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. Shewas living it up. At the end of thesemester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introducedand stepped up to the podium.

5. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her cards on thefloor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone andsimply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery.I gave up beer for Lent and thiswhiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me justtell you what I know."

6. As we laughed she cleared herthroat and began, "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow oldbecause we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, beinghappy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humour every day. You'vegot to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many peoplewalking around who are dead and don't even know it! There is a huge differencebetween growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie inbed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twentyyears old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and neverdo anything I will turn eighty-eight.

7. Anybody can grow older. Thatdoesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always findingopportunity in change. Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regretsfor what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who feardeath are those with regrets."

8. 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 finishedthe college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduationRose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attendedher funeral in tribute to thewonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all youcan possibly be. These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE. REMEMBER,GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWINGUP IS OPTIONAL. We make a Living by what we get. We make aLife by what we give.