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By Holly A. Magister, CPA, CFP®

Over the past few weeks, I have been sharing my thoughts through my blog post about what is needed to survive (and thrive!) in the troubled waters we have all been enduring as women entrepreneurs.  I have heard from many of our blog readers that the messages suggesting that they find courage, draw from their resources, eliminate the unnecessary, and look for the humor resonated.  Each week, I would hear from you—thank you!  What I found striking were the number of readers who found the last blog about finding opportunities to laugh especially meaningful to them. 

Just as I was sitting down to draft this blog post, I received an email from a dear friend of mine.  His name is George and he is at least as old as my father.  He has a Blackberry and more contacts than any person I know.  He sent this story to me about a woman named Rose.

I want to share it with you for two reasons:  First, I truly believe laughter is the key regardless of how we define and pursue success.  And second, this story about a woman named Rose was sent to me from my elderly friend George—they both remind me that we are never too old…

My Name is 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. May I give you a hug?'

I laughed and enthusiastically said, '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. 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 year, Rose was asked to speak to the graduating class. 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 the 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 two secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. And you have to laugh and find humor every day.

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. 

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. Rose eventually earned the college degree she pursued.  One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

I love this story and the friend who sent it to me—Rose understood what every successful woman entrepreneur needs to do—laugh as often as possible.  And as for my 70-something friend George, he has not stopped playing the game!