The Rose 玫瑰

Sharing one article received which I find pretty meaningful.  Since there is no title to the article, I'll just name it as "The Rose".

The Rose
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, and have a couple of kids…”

“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 non-stop. 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 revelled 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 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 opportunity in change.

Have no regrets. The elderly usually don’t have regrets for what they did, but rather for things they 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 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 .

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

REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS
OPTIONAL.

We make a Living by what we get, We make a Life by what we give

End

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When things are broken and people are gone, their importance and existence only by then be noticed and realized. By then, everything is too late for any remedial actions.

Have long forgotten what I am fighting for since my main motivator has long gone. He had always strived to keep his promises and had been always kept his promises. Yet he broke his promise this time.

Have gave up several times in life and just living on for the sake of the people whom he had left behind. Still living on, with the only reason of fulfilling the promises I had made to him during the last time we would be seeing each other.

When you have to stand on your own feet, you'll actually see the world where there may be bystanders, "fleers", and more and more challenges ahead.

Yet there may be those who will be giving you strength.

Would like to express my gratitude to those who are giving me strength when at times of hopeless and helpless. A big thank you, for everything.

For those who are finding meaning in life;
For those who are finding reasons to live on; and
For those who are achieving their dreams

Cheers,

To all of us

You're never alone ;)

It'll be an unforgettable and memorable journey of life for us.

Pass the warmth on to those who are in need, and it'll get back to you in times when you need it the most.

Live On, Live Life
SL Alpha