The Dreams ( BEAUTIFUL STORY )

amaya · Post by **amaya** » Jun 30, 2009 Views: 2609

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 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 share 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 few 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 dean 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.

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

*******

Post by **sunny** » Jul 16, 2009

Great share!

Post by **editorawais** » Jul 16, 2009

Nice Remember sentence

Lavender girl · Post by **Lavender girl** » Jul 20, 2009

Simply superb......

salkhans · Post by **salkhans** » Jul 20, 2009

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting
one!" she told me.

though teh determination is strong,
n she fullfilled.
but like a snail move.

Time does matter
not only the goal.

87 saal bohot hotey hein mere khayal mein sirf graduation k liye.

Rhythm_Divine · Post by **Rhythm_Divine** » Mar 07, 2011

Hmm.. That has given me food for thought , Thanx for sharin , Amaya !