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A woman named Rose

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#1 ·
Don't know if this is "true" or not, but it is beautiful.

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Subject: My Name is Rose

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 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 kids..."

"No seriously," I asked.

"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. Then 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 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, but 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. Finally, 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 stay in bed for a year and never do anything, I may 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.

When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they'll really enjoy it!

REMEMBER: GROWING OLD IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. We make a Living by what we get; we make a Life by what we give. God promises a safe landing, but not a calm passage. If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.
 
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#2 ·
Nice story,
Here are the lyrics to "The Rose"

BETTE MIDLER LYRICS

"The Rose"

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 its 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 to 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.
 
#3 ·
I love that song Lori. In fact to be "different" that is what I had my bridesmaids walk in on. One of the girls and I joked about it because she had her wedding end on "The Rose" and mine started with it so she said that I was picking up where her's left off...lol

(It's funny you would post that, because I was listening to a Bette Midler CD since I posted this and that song just came on)
 
#5 ·
BushBrigade said:
I'm bawling ladies - that's enough...... :weeping: .....Thanks for posting.....
Debbie, :hug2: do you need me to send you some Kleenex. I know when I first read that I could have used a few myself.
 
#6 ·
Sometimes I really think I just personalize things a little too much (yeah, I know, no one here can ever imagine me doing that :rolleyes: )
I'm too sensitive to all that tear jerker stuff!! That's what happens when you get old I guess.....and here I am - feeling every minute of each of my 25 years!! ;) ;) ;)

Kleenex would be nice.....pale blue if you don't mind..... :laugh:
 
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