She understood

My mother was a stay-at-home Mom who worked very hard to raise a house full of boys while my dad, an axe-to-the-grindstone worker, spent most of his days working hard to provide a high standard of living for his family.

She did all of this in addition to her demanding work as a leader (first-lady) in a large church parish.

She also had her own ambitions which demanded much of her time and energy.

Yet, my mother never dared to compare herself to single-mothers.

She understood that many single mothers don’t have the benefit of a man who comes home every night (however late the hour).

She understood that many single mothers don’t have the luxury of benefiting from a man’s labor without having to continually undergo messy legal battles over custody, alimony, and child-support.

She understood that many single mothers don’t know the physical safety and sense of security that comes from knowing that a man lives in the house.

Moreover, she understood that in order for a person to gain respect and sympathy for their hard work, it was not necessary for them to pretend to be something that they were not.