August 14, 2009
The Christian Journey
Growing up is not the same as growing old
BY FATHER JIM SAUER
Recently a friend emailed me the following true story of “Growing Old.” Everyone faces “growing old.” However, it means different things to people. Our inner attitudes about “growing old” shape our behaviors along the journey of “aging.” Following is my friend’s story.
A lady of 87 returned to college to earn her bachelor’s degree. On the first day of class, the professor asked the students to meet someone they didn’t know; the lady tapped a young girl’s shoulder in front of her. The wrinkled old lady beamed with a smile that lit up her entire being. She said, “Hi beautiful, my name is Rose. May I give you a hug?” “Of course! And she gave me a GIANT squeeze!”
“Why are you in college at such a young age?” I inquired. She jokingly replied, “I’m looking for a rich husband, marriage and having a few kids!” “No, what motivated you to do this at your age?” “I always dreamt of having a college education and now I’m getting one!” she responded.
After class, we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate malt becoming instant friends. Every day for the next three months, we left class together talking nonstop. I became mesmerized listening to this “time machine” as she shared her wisdom and experience.
Throughout the year, Rose became a campus icon. She easily made friends everywhere. She loved to dress up and reveled in the attention shown her from other students. She was living up to it too!
At semester’s end, we invited Rose to speak at the football banquet. I’ll never forget what she taught us! After her introduction, Rose approached the podium, accidently dropping her note cards. Frustrated and embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, “I’m sorry; I’m just 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.” Laughing, she began her speech. “We do not stop playing because we are older; we grow older because we stop playing.
“There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy and achieving success. 1) You have to laugh; 2) find humor every day; 3) have a dream, and 4) never lose your dream or you will die. There are 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 19-years-old and lie in bed for one year not doing one productive thing, you will still turn 20. If I am 87-years-old and stay in bed for a year not doing anything, I will turn 88.
“Anyone can grow older. How much talent does that take? The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity to change. Have no regrets. The elderly don’t have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we didn’t do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.”
She concluded by singing “The Rose.” She challenged us to memorize the lyrics and live them daily. Rose finished the college degree she began years ago.
One week after graduation, Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Two thousand students attended her funeral to honor this beautiful woman whose example taught us that it’s never too late to be all you can possibly be.
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 created us to become an everlasting gift to him by God’s transforming Spirit within us.