MyNameIsRose

　　Thefirstdayofschoolourprofessorintroducedhimselfandchallengedustogettoknowsomeonewedidn'talreadyknow.Istooduptolookaroundwhenagentlehandtouchedmyshoulder.

　　Iturnedaroundtofindawrinkled,littleoldladybeamingupatmewithasmilethatlitupherentirebeing.

　　Shesaid,'Hihandsome.MynameisRose.I'meighty-sevenyearsold.CanIgiveyouahug?'

　　Ilaughedandenthusiasticallyresponded,'Ofcourseyoumay!'andshegavemeagiantsqueeze.

　　'Whyareyouincollegeatsuchayoung,innocentage?'Iasked.

　　Shejokinglyreplied,'I'mheretomeetarichhusband,getmarried,andhaveacoupleofkids...'

　　'Noseriously,'Iasked.Iwascuriouswhatmayhavemotivatedhertobetakingonthischallengeatherage.

　　'IalwaysdreamedofhavingacollegeeducationandnowI'mgettingone!'shetoldme.

　　Afterclasswewalkedtothestudentunionbuildingandsharedachocolatemilkshake.

　　Webecameinstantfriends.Everydayforthenextthreemonthswewouldleaveclasstogetherandtalknonstop.Iwasalwaysmesmerizedlisteningtothis'timemachine'asshesharedherwisdomandexperiencewithme.

　　Overthecourseoftheyear,Rosebecameacampusiconandsheeasilymadefriendswherevershewent.Shelovedtodressupandshereveledintheattentionbestoweduponherfromtheotherstudents.Shewaslivingitup.

　　AttheendofthesemesterweinvitedRosetospeakatourfootballbanquet.I'llneverforgetwhatshetaughtus.Shewasintroducedandsteppeduptothepodium.Asshebegantodeliverherpreparedspeech,shedroppedherthreebyfivecardsonthefloor.

　　Frustratedandalittleembarrassedsheleanedintothemicrophoneandsimplysaid,'I'msorryI'msojittery.IgaveupbeerforLentandthiswhiskeyiskillingme!I'llnevergetmyspeechbackinordersoletmejusttellyouwhatIknow.'

　　Aswelaughedsheclearedherthroatandbegan,'Wedonotstopplayingbecauseweareold;wegrowoldbecausewestopplaying.

　　Thereareonlyfoursecretstostayingyoung,beinghappy,andachievingsuccess.Youhavetolaughandfindhumoreveryday.You'vegottohaveadream.Whenyouloseyourdreams,youdie.

　　Wehavesomanypeoplewalkingaroundwhoaredeadanddon'tevenknowit!

　　Thereisahugedifferencebetweengrowingolderandgrowingup.

　　Ifyouarenineteenyearsoldandlieinbedforonefullyearanddon'tdooneproductivething,youwillturntwentyyearsold.IfIameighty-sevenyearsoldandstayinbedforayearandneverdoanythingIwillturneighty-eight.

　　Anybodycangrowolder.Thatdoesn'ttakeanytalentorability.Theideaistogrowupbyalwaysfindingopportunityinchange.Havenoregrets.

　　Theelderlyusuallydon'thaveregretsforwhatwedid,butratherforthingswedidnotdo.Theonlypeoplewhofeardeatharethosewithregrets.'

　　Sheconcludedherspeechbycourageouslysinging'TheRose.'

　　Shechallengedeachofustostudythelyricsandlivethemoutinourdailylives.Attheyear'sendRosefinishedthecollegedegreeshehadbegunallthoseyearsago.

　　OneweekaftergraduationRosediedpeacefullyinhersleep.

　　Overtwothousandcollegestudentsattendedherfuneralintributetothewonderfulwomanwhotaughtbyexamplethatit'snevertoolatetobeallyoucanpossiblybe.

　　Whenyoufinishreadingthi