Be Courageous

 

      and allow your life to expand further than you can see.

Don't allow your fears to keep you in one place ... be courageous.

                   

The 87 Year Old College Student

I LOVED this story. 
It really needed to be passed along so that everyone will know what this wonderful lady taught thousands of college students (and me) just by being ROSE.

An 87 Year Old College Student Named 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 round 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 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. 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 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 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!  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.

Live in the Present.

I have seen this saying (attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt) interpreted in a few different ways, but the sentiment is the same.  In fact, I have used one of the variations as my signature in some group rooms and emails.

You can't do anything about the past - you can regret things that happened, things that you have done, but you can't change it.  It's done.

You can't do anything about the future - you can prepare and acknowledge that what you do today will effect the future, but it is the future.

Today is the only day you can do anything about - LIVE IT.

Courage vs Fear

Not sure if you remember this super brave girl (I almost said little but that would not be fair to her) but Bethany Hamilton should be an inspiration to everyone

She could have said "poor me" and withdrawn from life - but she didn't.  No this woman proved that NO one or thing can destroy our dreams.

Do it Anyway ........

I don't know what your beliefs are (I try not to do too much with religion or politics here) but I think everyone can learn a lot from these simple statements from Mother Teresa

We are the commander of our own "ship" on this journey we call life.  We don't have to let anyone else determine how we go through life.  We can just Do it Anyway.   I think this little lady named Mother Teresa packed so much into her life and the lives of others.  

If we keep an open mind and heart and feel what she had to say ....... I think the world would be in much better shape.

I think I will be looking at this more often (maybe print it out and frame it) so that I can see it every day to be reminded to just "do it anyway".

Happiness Doors

Helen Keller was just so wise ...... wise beyond her years I'm afraid.  

I think she is my idea of an "old soul".

She just had so much to teach us

Will you seek out her wisdom?

Audrey Hepburn's Beauty Tips

Without fear of being reminded that my posts aren't "original" I need to share this with you today.  Not only was Audrey Hepburn a wonderful actress, she was pretty darned smart as well.

Below is a wonderful poem Audrey Hepburn wrote when she was asked to share her 'beauty tips.' 

It was read at her funeral years later.

For attractive lips,
speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes,
seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure,
share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair,
let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.

For poise,
walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People, even more than things,
have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed;
never throw out anyone.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand,
you will find one at the end of each of your arms.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands;
one for helping yourself,
and the other for helping others.

Quote of the Day .......

The future belongs 

to those who believe

in the beauty 

of their dreams.

Eleanor Roosevelt

In my opinion Mrs Roosevelt was one smart cookie!  I love so many of the quotes that are attributed to her.

Quote for today

Sometimes we are so much stronger than we think we are JUST BECAUSE we HAVE lived through something we didn't think we could.

You gain strength, courage and confidence 

by every experience in which you 

really stop to look fear in the face.

You are able to say to yourself, 

"I lived through this horror. 

I can take the next thing that comes along." 

You must do the thing you think you cannot do.

Eleanor Roosevelt, activist 

You Learn by Living

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LOVE

I think that both of these really does explain the meaning of LOVE.  I know there are tons of definitions - but these two, I believe, go hand in hand and give us an idea to build on.

Love comes when manipulation stops; 

when you think more about the other person 

than about his or her reactions to you. 

When you dare to reveal yourself fully. 

When you dare to be vulnerable.

Dr. Joyce Brothers, American psychologist

You never lose by loving. 

You always lose by holding back.

Barbara De Angelis, American researcher

Quote for today

I stumbled across this one and thought ...... this is perfect.  Sometimes we all get carried away with the happenings of the day and forget that what we say and do will effect someone in some way - make it a good way.

Manners are a sensitive awareness 

of the feelings of others.

If you have that awareness,

you have good manners,

no matter which fork you use.

Emily Post

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Life

Life is an opportunity, 

benefit from it.

Life is beauty, 

admire it.

Life is bliss, 

taste it.

Life is a dream, 

realize it.

Life is a challenge, 

meet it.

Life is a duty, 

complete it.

Life is a game, 

play it.

Life is a promise, 

fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, 

overcome it.

Life is a song, 

sing it.

Life is a struggle, 

accept it.

Life is a tragedy, 

confront it.

Life is an adventure, 

dare it.

Life is luck, 

make it.

Life is too precious, 

do not destroy it.

Life is life, 

fight for it.

Mother Teresa

Quotes of the Day

You may be disappointed if you fail,
but you are doomed if you don't try.

~ Beverly Sills ~



If we don't change, we don't grow.
If we don't grow, we are not really living.
Growth demands a temporary surrender of security.

~ Gail Sheehy ~



The best index to a person's character is
a) how he treats people who can't do him any good and
b) how he treats people who can't fight back.

~ Abigail Van Buren ~

Quotes of the Day

People are like stained-glass windows. 
They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, 
but when the darkness sets in, 
their true beauty is revealed 
only if there is a light from within.

~ Elizabeth Kübler-Ross ~

There are two ways of spreading light ...
To be the candle, 
or the mirror that reflects it.

~ Edith Wharton ~

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any.

~ Alice Walker ~

Empowering Peaceful Quotes

People with clenched fists can not shake hands.

~ Indira Gandhi ~



So many gods, so many creeds,
So many paths that wind and wind,
While just the art of being kind,
Is all this sad world needs.

~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox ~



We need 4 hugs a day for survival.
We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance.
We need 12 hugs a day for growth.

~ Virginia Satir ~

Reveal YOUR beauty

"People are like stained-glass windows.

They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,

but when the darkness sets in,

their true beauty is revealed only

if there is a light from within."

— Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, author of "On Death and Dying"

Dare to Dream

"Without leaps of imagination,

or dreaming,

we lose the excitement of possibilities.

Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning."

— Gloria Steinem, American journalist and political activist

Live the Life You Want

"Don't let anyone rob you of your imagination,

your creativity, or

your curiosity.

It's your place in the world;

it's your life.

Go on and do all you can with it,

and make it the life you want to live."

— Mae C. Jemison, first African-American woman astronaut

This so reminds me of what I have always told my daughter to do -

Do NOT let anyone tell you that you CAN'T do something
Just Smile sweetly and say "WATCH ME"

- then go and do it!

Love

Love recognizes no barriers.
It jumps hurdles,
leaps fences,
penetrates walls
to arrive at it destination
full of hope.

Maya Angelou

Remember Your Power

"The most common way people give up their power
is by thinking they don't have any."

— Alice Walker, author of "The Color Purple"