Sharing Gratitude at Rise and Shine Breakfast

Julie Wilson stood on stage with her daughter, Ferrell, and looked out at the crowd in front of her. This was her last Rise and Shine Breakfast. Ferrell would be graduating in May with the Class of 2025, and this morning was just one of the many “lasts” she would experience at Harpeth Hall this year.

“I think I can safely speak for the special friends and moms gathered here today when I say that it is hard to imagine a deeper or more meaningful love than what a mom has for a child,” Ms. Wilson said.

“I think I can also safely speak for the special friends and moms gathered here when I say that no one can drive you crazier than your child,” she followed with a laugh that was echoed throughout the moms in the audience.

To be fair, Ferrell responded, “I would say that the same goes for you, but, in all honesty, I truly love my mom, and I value all of our time together, especially in my last year at home.”

Harpeth Hall’s annual Rise and Shine Breakfast is a celebration of that love, gratitude, and bond. Each year, students gather with their moms and friends to share a meal together, recite poetry, perform orchestral and choral music, and pay tribute to those who have guided them throughout their lives.

The event is always beautiful and bittersweet.

“This has been an event I look forward to, even more so as I have gotten older,” senior Cecilia Mbow said. “Standing here, looking around today,

I’m a bit jealous of the underclass girls and the time they have with the people in this room, more specifically, the time they have with their own mothers and special friends.”

As the student speaker, Cecilia spoke to her fellow classmates about the role of a maternal figure, expressing that these women “play a key role in the emotional and physiological development of a person.”

“They are the first mentors and most trusted individuals a child can have,” she said, “and the sense of safety and stability a mother provides is unparalleled. Our mothers remain with us through every stage of our lives, and while their jobs as maternal figures most certainly change over time, their significance and importance remain entirely consistent. This early foundation of trust and love allows us to grow into mature and confident individuals and citizens who can lead our lives with the knowledge that regardless of the challenges we face, we will always have a steady support system to rely on.”

“Given that job description,” Cecilia said, “I am in true awe of all the mothers and special friends in this room. I cannot think of another job that requires as much strength and commitment as this, so all I am left to say is thank you.”