Inspirational Story

copied from: http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers=&discussionID=18878120&gid=2744952&trk=EML_anet_qa_ttle-cnhOon0JumNFomgJt7dBpSBA

The first day of school our professor challenged us to get to know someone. 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.

“Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?”

I laughed and said: “Of course you may!” She gave me a giant squeeze and said:

“I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!”

After class we walked to the cafeteria and shared a chocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for months we left class together and talked 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 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 cue cards on the floor.

A little embarrassed, she leaned into the microphone and said: “I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.”

She cleared her throat and began:

'”We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are a few simple 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 lie in bed and never do anything productive, you will grow old faster.

Anybody can grow old fast. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change.

Don't have regrets for things you did, but rather for things you 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 months 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.

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.