There is a segment of society that often goes unrecognized and unthanked.  There are women, who manage to balance not only work and children, and deal with absent fathers, to boot.  The single mother is a force, a whirlwind, who makes her way in a world that frowns upon her.

She is an amazing woman, for being able to balance everything without losing her sanity, for being able to give of herself, without losing herself in the mix.  She is a powerhouse, the driving force of her family.

And so frequently, she goes unnoticed.

It’s a shame, really, that society does not recognize the powerful woman she is.  She is tireless, often working horrific hours at a thankless job, desperately trying to make ends meet.  She rushes from hither to yon, to try and make it to both her PTA meeting and her office party, worrying about where her children are and whether or not they’re safe, fed, and not in trouble.

Her job as mother and father is not an easy one.  She must bear the disciplinary brunt of raising her children on her own, without backing down, and without back-up.  She must be the one who paddles a bottom when it’s needed, and bandaid a bruised knee, who must teach her son to play football and her daughter to play flute, and she must do so without losing her cool.

She hits the playing field running, not hesitating to say “I can do this!” She is the modern-day super-hero, wearing humble clothes by day, and cape and spandex by night.

The single mother deserves not only respect, but humble admiration, as well.  She deserves a round of applause, for being able to conquer six impossible tasks before breakfast, and all with aplomb.  She needs to be thanked for providing a role model for her children, for showing them that they can do the impossible, and that they can achieve their dreams even in the most dire of circumstances.