Growing old is mandatory - Growing up is optional

The Story of Rose

The first day of school, our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone new. 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 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 children, and then retire and travel.”

“No, seriously,” I asked. I was curious as to what motivated her to take 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. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and easily made friends. She loved to dress up, and reveled in the attention bestowed on her by 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 3 3 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. 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. One is being happy. Another is achieving success. You also have to laugh and find humor every day. And 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 will 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 the things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.

She concluded her speech by courageously singing “The Rose,” made famous by Bette Midler. 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, it is never too late to be all you can possibly be.

Remember, growing old is mandatory—growing up is optional.