What I Know

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It’s graduation time for many young people. So I love this story that gives us “older folks” hope and inspiration.

The story is told of a young man who graduated from high school and then very nervously and with great anxiety enrolled in a local college. The first day that classes began his professor challenged his students to get to know someone they didn't already know. Our young man stood up and looked around; then a gentle hand touched his shoulder. He turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady smiling at him with a smile that lit up her entire being.
"Hi handsome," she said. "My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"

The young man laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you can!" and she gave him a giant squeeze. "Why are you in college? he asked. She said, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel, she answered. "No seriously, “I’d really like to know” he said. "I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one" she answered.

After class, they walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. And they became instant friends. Every day for the next three months they would leave class together and talk nonstop. The young man was always mesmerized listening to this virtual "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with him. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon, and she easily made friends wherever she went.

At the end of the semester, Rose was invited to speak at the graduation. Those who attended and heard what Rose had to say will never forget what she taught them that particular day. 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 just let me tell you what I know."

"We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are no 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. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity to 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 those in attendance to study the lyrics and live them out in their daily lives.

At the year's end, Rose finished her 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.

God invites us to listen to his words and what do you hear? “Listen to me, my faithful children, and blossom like a rose growing by a stream of water.”  (Sirach 39:13).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are still growing and open to learning new adventures. May the  seed of inspiration help us to be all that God wants us to be.