An inspiration for those of us going downhill from 
here! 

A---sweet note about growing older. 

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 
GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY, GROWING UP IS 
OPTIONAL. 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 
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. 

If you read this, please send this peaceful word of 
advice to your friends 
and family, they'll really enjoy it!We send these 
words in loving memory of 
ROSE. 

Remember, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY, GROWING UP IS 
OPTIONAL.