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Across the Fence:  The Story of the Rose  |
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Sitnalta
True Blue Farmgirl
4208 Posts
Jessica
NJ
USA
4208 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 10 2010 : 08:00:45 AM
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I received this story in my email and thought it was very inspiring and it reminded me (and if you will pardon my sentiment) my Linda, a rose. There are a lot of new girls on the forum so many of you may not have had the precious gift that I did of knowing Linda. She was a beautiful dynamic woman who brought smiles and thoughtful in any post she set to type. She has been on my mind a lot lately.With tears of sadness but also of joy to know her sturggles are over, Oh how I miss her!! As she always asked, we do remember her as A ROSE.
hugs
Jessie
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, 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 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 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 humour 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 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 year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those
>months 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!
>
>These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE
I think housework would be ever so much easier if I had those nifty Jedi powers. :)
Farmgirl Sister #235 |
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl
6418 Posts
Mary Beth
Stanwood
Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts |
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Marcy
True Blue Farmgirl
2701 Posts
Marcy
Tiverton
Rhode Island
USA
2701 Posts |
Posted - Jun 10 2010 : 09:28:37 AM
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Jessie,
Thank you so much for sharing this. I miss Linda as well, as I am sure we all do.
Farmgirl #170
Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give...Eleanor Roosevelt
http://marcysworldofcreativity.blogspot.com/
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TeresaJ25
True Blue Farmgirl
975 Posts
Teresa
Medford
NY
USA
975 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2010 : 04:56:09 AM
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I did not have the honor of knowing your friend, I wish I did. There are certain people in this world that have lasting impacts on our lives no matter how brief the time spent together was.
~Teresa
Farmgirl Sister #1348
*Anyone can criticize and complain and predict doom and gloom.
Be the person who fills the room with sunshine! |
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2010 : 08:55:07 AM
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I too, received this e-mail and I still love to read it. It is truly inspiring, thanks for sharing.
Age only matters if you are wine or cheese.
http://studiodiphotosite.shutterfly.com/
farmgirl sister #922 |
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Across the Fence: The Story of the Rose |
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The Story of the Rose
