"Slowly pulling petals, 
From a sweet and fragrant rose; 
Watching them fall from my fingertips, 
Like winter's falling snow." 
Allison Chambers Coxsey 
c

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 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 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 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 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.