I know, I know.

I know it's a chain letter, but this one had to be passed on, not because of the threat of reward (which would be totally cool to see a miracle), but it was a touching story, fact or fiction (thanks Ms. Lofgran, long time no chat for sure):

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.
>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 Next know they are always there.

Sorry, I was just a bit too lazy to actually pull out the little arrow things. I think you survived, didn't you?