A letter to single mothers!

A letter to single mothers!

One of the negative effects of the increase of population worldwide is that we no more sympathize enough with other people. We see photos of the dead everyday on tv, it is usual. We hear of tens who lost their beloved ones to cancer, it is usual. We know a lot divorced, separated women and single mothers, it is usual. This letter is to remind you and myself that this is not usual!

On Monday the 10th of June 2013, I had my last supper with my husband before we separated for good. Since then, I moved to my parents’ house but struggled for 7 months before we got a divorce this December. This experience made me realize how difficult being a separated person is, on emotional, physical, and psychological aspects.

Most of these days I stayed in bed. My mom took away my empty coffee cups and teary napkins. My sleeping habits were drastically changed, that one time I forgot to pick up my son from his school bus because I simply fell to sleep amidst of the day. With all the wonderful things I am blessed with, I have felt very weak, and that no matter how much I cried or ate or slept, there are still many more tears and angers.

It’s only after this that I wondered how many divorced and single mothers we know, but take for granted. We learn to sympathize with these, and have pity for them here in Lebanon. If a divorced woman or a single mother does something wrong or a socially condemned behavior, which any person may commit, her actions are justified and tolerated because she is divorced and/or a single mother!

I’ve been wondering why we are told to sympathize with these people –whom I am one of them now- by the time they are stronger than typically married people, who have emotional and psychological support from their partners. Even if many of these single mothers/divorced women are poor, broken hearted, or sound irrational at many times, they have endured just as war witnesses or even more. In a war or a natural disaster, you know your life is being ruined by an enemy or by uncontrollable causes. But in a divorce, you are trying to accept that you are devastated by someone who was the closest person to you, and whom you shared with your tiny bits of life.

I now know that every single mother or divorced woman is an icon of strength and power for me, just for bearing with a journey that is seen as natural or okay for those who never have experienced it. I still do not know from were these strong women have the spirit to smile, but as days pass I hope I will be as strong as they are.

To every separated, widowed, divorced woman here on WorldPulse, a BIG salut!