
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.
Interesting. I like these personal insights,
especially how sons see their mothers and
the lessons learned (being a mother of a son
as well.) I always find family dynamics very
fascinating. Have to agree in the main on this
topic with her.
Thanks for sharing.