I want to share a deeply personal story with you, one that has shaped my perspective on life's moments and the incredible women we call our mothers. It’s a story about love, faith, and the importance of celebrating the people we hold dear. About two years before my mom passed, God placed a thought in my heart that I could never quite shake. For about five years straight, my mom sent me prayers and scripture every morning. At the time, I was grateful for her words, but I didn’t fully understand why she was doing it. You see, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer around four years ago. After two years of fighting, she beat it. I can still remember the joy we all felt when she rang that bell—my sister, my dad, and I all believed she was clear. However, as her son, I could see in her eyes that she was never quite the same after beating cancer. Being so connected to my mom, I felt a bit of her pain as she fought daily. As her 60th birthday approached, my sisters were planning a small dinner to celebrate. I, living 2,500 miles away, couldn’t do much. But then, two weeks prior to her birthday, as I sat on the edge of my bed, overwhelmed by emotion and in tears, God placed a message in my heart: the reason your mom sends you those scriptures and prayers is because she knows, deep down, she won’t be with us much longer. She wanted to ensure her kids had God’s blueprint in their phones, a daily reminder of her love and faith, even when she was gone. With this realization, I knew we had to celebrate her 60th birthday in a way that truly honored her. With the support of my fiancé, sisters, and my dad, we decided to throw her a big celebration. I had just come off a successful month in our business, and I spent my last on making sure she received her flowers on her special day. Within two weeks, we found an amazing venue and gathered family and friends to celebrate the incredible woman she was. Her 60th birthday was an unforgettable celebration of her life and spirit. Sadly, just three months later, her cancer returned aggressively, and she was taken from us before her 62nd birthday. Reflecting on my mom's actions, I realize that if I felt I was on my way out, I too would send messages and scripture to my kids, to guide them and keep them close to my heart. As the owner of The Rose, a venue dedicated to celebrating our loved ones, I’m committed to ensuring we give our mothers their roses while they’re still here. In honor of Mattie Harris, I am more invested in celebrating your mom than making money. This mission brings me joy and helps ease my heartache as I continue to mourn my mom. To anyone whose mom is approaching 60 or is already in her 60s, and hasn’t been celebrated yet, I want to help you plan something special. If you’re on my friend list or we’re mutual friends, this is for you. Join me at open house every Wednesday from 6-8 pm so I can hear your stories and together, we can begin planning your mom’s big day. Let’s make sure our moms know just how much they mean to us, in this lifetime. Thank you.