Living Past Masters
Masonic Birthdays
May
Bentley L Carter, ‐ 05/13/61
Robert J Gravatt – 05/17/62
Roy E Morton – 05/05/71
Herbert J Atkinson PGM – 05/31/72
G Thomas Taylor,III PJGD – 05/31/72
James D Riggs – 05/31/72
Kenneth A Copeland – 05/23/73
John A Loeb PGMar – 05/28/75
Merle E Holland,Jr – 05/12/76
Robert F Quinn – 05/11/77
Robert A Myers – 05/12/80
George E Wilhelm – 05/18/83
Kenneth W Boulden,Jr – 05/15/85
Michael P Maxwell – 05/23/07
James P Twenge, PM – 05/03/12
Eric J Comely – 05/16/16
Robert C Wright – 05/17/17
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 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
AN 87 YEAR OLD COLLEGE STUDENT NAMED ROSE
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.
The Rose
Some say, "Love. It is a river
That drowns the tender reed"
Some say, "Love. It is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed"
Some say, "Love. It is a hunger
An endless aching need"
I say, "Love. It is a flower
And you its only seed"
It's the heart afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It's the dream afraid of waking
That never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dyin'
That never learns to live
When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snow
Lies the seed that with the sun's love
In the spring becomes the rose
Have You Considered
Leaving A Legacy?
Have you considered leaving a Legacy to your lodge, St. John's Lodge No 2? If you have, please make sure that St. John's Lodge No 2 is included in your Wills and Trusts so that your legacy can continue to help promote Freemasonry in the State of Delaware long after you have left your brethren behind. Freemasonry in Delaware has just celebrated its 200th anniversary. With your help, maybe it can celebrate its 300th one day.
Life itself is a privilege, but to live life to the fullest, well, that is a choice.
‐ Andy Andrews