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Listing all posts with label Inspirational Story. Show all posts.

  1. "My name is Rose"

    Posted by Joanne M Wotherspoon on September 19, 2009 at 4:54 PM under
    Inspirational Story, My Name Is Rose
    • 0 comments

    This story has been circulating for quite awhile; however, I think it bears repeating every once in a while, as there are so many lessons to be learned from it.  The strongest message is to get up off of our collective backsides and start living life to the fullest, lest it pass us by.

    "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 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.

    God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it."

    - Author Unknown

    For more inspirational quotes, please stop by our Tree Quotes And Poems page as well as our Earth Day Quotes page.   To post on Our Blog, please join our membership or login to your existing account.

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  2. My Inspiration

    Posted by Joanne M Wotherspoon on September 3, 2009 at 9:36 PM under
    Awareness Campaign, Global Community, Inspirational Story, Marathon of Hope
    • 0 comments

    I had a moving experience today that I want to share with you.

    I enjoy going for walks, because I find it's a great way to clear my head and achieve a sense of calm and well being. The weather was beautiful today, so I decided to take a walk to recharge my batteries.

    While walking to the park, I noticed a gentleman getting into his van. It was only his movement that drew my attention to the van, which was nothing special at first glance. However, as I strolled past, I saw a framed photo of a woman, hanging from the head rest in the passenger seat next to him. Below it was a sign. I couldn't fully read it without going right up to the window and peering in. What I did see read ".......‘s seat". It took a moment for that to sink in, before it dawned on me what I had just seen. Presumably, it was a photo of his late wife and that was, and still is, her seat.

    I can't accurately describe the rush of feelings that came over me; but it was a combination of sorrow and compassion, followed by awe and admiration. My eyes still well up just thinking about it. His conviction of faith that her spirit is sitting right beside him, is truly awe inspiring.

    I spent the rest of the walk contemplating that, and I found myself feeling uplifted. It occurred to me that, although I'm self motivated, it's people who inspire me. It's Terry Fox running 42 km for 143 days in the Marathon of Hope; it's a 10 year old girl donating hair so another little girl can better cope with the affects of chemotherapy; and it's most certainly the gentleman I saw today.

    So here's what it boils down to...

    Ordinary people, doing extraordinary things, are our greatest source of inspiration. Inspiration is what fuels our passion and motivates us to act. When we act, we become someone else's inspiration. It's a snowball affect.

    Inspiration is always best when it's experienced first hand. Even though you may not find my experience as inspiring as I do, your inspiration is out there and when it hits you, you'll know it. Dwell on it, talk about it, build on it, and let it continue to fuel your passion so that you have the motivation and the momentum to follow through.

    Whatever the cause, the driving force behind any fundraiser is the people, because in the end, it's the people who will benefit. We all long to have a healthy, strong community and so we must all make a contribution to that end. Your community will extend beyond your street, your school, your church, your city, and even your country. We're all part of a global community and everyone has something of value to contribute. For some it may be fundraising ideas, whereas others may contribute skills, time, labor, or funding. A program called Habitat for Humanity is a perfect example of that.

    I invite you to become part of our community by becoming a registered member and participating in Our Blog. I encourage you to share this blog with others and tell us about your fundraising ideas, successes, challenges, and increase awareness for your cause by submitting a link and/or an article. 

    Let's join forces to build a stronger global community.

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