If I Knew Then What I Know Now

Dear Single Parent. With this poem, I hope you always remember that your strength is the foundation upon which love blossoms.

In the early hours of dawn, when the sun is just creeping up above the horizon, I stand alone, rooted in the soil that is building my family.

With calloused hands, I start the day, pushing aside the patches of doubt. The seeds of hope, small and fragile, grow deep.

Raindrops fall—teardrops, perhaps— Nourishing fledgling dreams. I am both rain and sun, provider and nurturer, anchor and guide, steering my children toward the light.

Winter arrives, and I wrap my arms around myself, Shielding against the biting winds of loneliness. Yet, within this solitude, resilience blooms, A stubborn flower that refuses to die.

Nightfall brings stars—the constellations of memory. I trace their patterns, connecting dots of laughter, Bedtime stories, scraped knees, whispered secrets. Each twinkle a reminder: I am not alone.

And oh, the harvest! It comes unexpectedly, In toothless grins and great big hugs. The yield of sacrifice—sweet and abundant— Filling my heart with purpose and pride.

I am the architect of bridges— Spanning the gap between bedtime and morning, Between scraped elbows and healing kisses, Between “I miss grandad” and “You’re my hero.”

And so, I build—a builder of resilience, Laying bricks of patience and mortar of love. My family, not fractured, not broken but forged and solidified by the fire of shared love.

When my roots intertwine with theirs, When they grow tall and strong, They’ll find my footprints etched in the soil, A roadmap to resilience and a testament to our love.