English Original
On the first day of school, our professor challenged us to meet someone new. As I stood up, a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned to see a small, elderly lady with a radiant smile.
"Hi, handsome. I'm Rose. I'm eighty-seven. Can I give you a hug?" she said. I laughed and agreed, receiving a warm embrace.
"Why are you in college at such a young age?" I joked. She replied playfully, "To find a rich husband, get married, have kids, then retire and travel!"
"Seriously?" I asked.
"I always dreamed of a college education," she said sincerely. We became instant friends, sharing a milkshake after class. For months, we talked daily. I was mesmerized by her wisdom and stories.
Rose became a campus icon, making friends easily and enjoying the attention bestowed upon her. She was invited to speak at a football banquet. As she began her speech, she dropped her note cards. Frustrated, she leaned into the microphone and said, "I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent, and this whisky is killing me! Let me just tell you what I know."
She began: "We don't stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. Here are four secrets to staying young, happy, and successful:"
- "Laugh and find humor every day."
- "Have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. Many people walk around dead and don't even know it."
- "Understand the difference between growing older and growing up. Anyone can grow older; that requires no talent. To grow up, find opportunity in change."
- "Have no regrets. The elderly regret what they didn't do, not what they did. Only those with regrets fear death."
She concluded by courageously singing "The Rose," urging us to live by its lyrics.
Rose earned her degree that year. One week after graduation, she passed away peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand students attended her funeral, honoring a woman who proved it's never too late to become your best self.
Remember: growing older is mandatory; growing up is optional.
中文翻译
开学第一天，教授让我们去认识一位新同学。我起身时，一只温柔的手拍了拍我的肩膀。我转过身，看到一位身材娇小、容光焕发的老太太。
“嗨，帅哥。我叫罗斯，今年八十七岁。能给我一个拥抱吗？”她说道。我笑着答应了，得到了一个温暖的拥抱。
“您这么‘年轻’，怎么来上大学了？”我开玩笑地问。她风趣地回答：“来找个有钱的丈夫，结婚生子，然后退休去旅行！”
“说真的呢？”我追问。
“我一直梦想接受大学教育，”她真诚地说。我们立刻成了朋友，课后一起喝了杯巧克力奶昔。接下来的几个月，我们每天都会聊天。她的智慧和经历让我着迷。
罗斯成了校园里的标志性人物，她到哪里都能轻松交到朋友，也很享受同学们投来的关注。她受邀在一次足球晚宴上发表演讲。刚开始演讲，她就不小心把提示卡掉在了地上。她有些懊恼，凑近麦克风说：“我太紧张了。我斋戒期戒了啤酒，但这威士忌可真要我的命！我就直接讲讲我的心得吧。”
她说道：“我们并非因为年老而停止玩乐；我们因停止玩乐而变老。保持年轻、快乐和成功的秘诀有四条：”
- “每天都要笑，发现生活中的幽默。”
- “心怀梦想。失去梦想，虽生犹死。太多人行尸走肉却不自知。”
- “明白变老和成长的区别。任何人都会变老，这不需要任何才能。而成长，是在变化中不断寻找机遇。”
- “不留遗憾。老年人通常不为做过的事后悔，而为没做的事懊悔。只有心怀遗憾的人才惧怕死亡。”
最后，她勇敢地唱起了《玫瑰》，并鼓励我们践行歌词中的精神。
那年，罗斯获得了她的学位。毕业一周后，她在睡梦中安详离世。两千多名学生参加了她的葬礼，向这位以身作则、证明“实现自我永不嫌晚”的非凡女性致敬。
请记住：变老是必然的，成长却是可以选择的。