That morning, as I prepared for my big business trip to Los Angeles, I couldn’t help but reflect on how far I had come. The prospect of presenting a major project to top investors was not just a professional milestone—it was a promise of the promotion I’d long worked for. It was also a chance to honor the one person who had been my rock through every hardship: my mother, Melissa.

Melissa had raised me as a single parent, her unwavering support and love shaping my every decision. She had always told me that our past didn’t define us; it was our dreams and the courage to chase them that truly mattered. I remembered her words as I grabbed my meticulously packed briefcase and stepped out the door, ready to embrace the future.