To: abuelita who wrote (43184 ) 4/28/2005 2:13:50 AM From: elpolvo Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 104157 la-guess what? i bought an altec lansing sound dock digital music system for the ipod today at less than half the cost of a bose. don't know if it's as good as, but they said i could try it for three weeks (i'm taking it with) and if i'm not happy with the sound, i can return it. can't do much better than that, eh? sounds good to me. <vbg> i heard from jack again today... (still didn't say a thing about where he is or what he's up to.) i think what we've made up will do just fine. he forwarded me one of those sappy stories that get emailed en masse to everyone. it's nice if you visualize it as a true story but it's sappy when you realize it was written by some poor bastage who's had all his unsolicited submissions to hallmark rejected for the last twenty years. <vbg> here it is. the title is "the rose": ***************************************** 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, 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 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 experiences with me. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and 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 and 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 protective 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. 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 . *********************** what gives the wannabe hallmark writer away is this additional text at the end begging you to send it to seven more schmucks so it will go clear around the world and eventually be sent to all the editors who work at hallmark! ************************** 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. 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. God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. Pass this message to 7 people except you and me. You will receive a miracle tomorrow. If you choose not, then you refuse to bless someone else. "Good friends are like stars.........You don't always see them, but you know they are always there." ************************************ happy flying to the island. when you get there, and get in the cabin where no one is looking... get hold of yers elf! love, elpie