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, have
a couple of children, and then retire and travel." "No seriously," I
asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to betaking 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 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 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 protective 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 years 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.
The Rose
Some say love it is the river
that drowns the tender reed.
Some say love it is the razor
that leaves your soul to bleed.
Some say love it is a hunger
an aching endless 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 a chance.
It's the one who won't be taken
who cannot seem to give,
and the soul afraid of dying
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 bitter snows
lies the seed
that with the sun's love in the spring
becomes the Rose.
(Bett Midler)
