Megan Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland,
touched the hearts of people across the world after Saturday’s royal
wedding, including mine. When I realized that she, a single mother,
traveled across an ocean to watch her daughter walk down the
isle – alone – I felt a twinge of pride for single moms everywhere. This
elegant and independent woman is a champion and an inspiration. And reading that, like me, she’s a free spirited mental health and
addiction counselor/yoga teacher was a bonus.
For many people, flying across the
world to attend the extravagant and highly broadcasted
ceremony alone would be a daunting task to say the least. But to the
single mother, showing up is just what we do. Weather it’s soccer
games, ballet recitals, parent teacher conferences or school picnics;
we show up. When we’re tired, stressed to our limits or under the weather; we show
up. Weather or not other relatives or co-parents attend; we show up.
From morning to night; obligations to activities; we show up. Through
tears, tantrums, meltdowns, illnesses and accidents; we show up.
Though we are sometimes intentionally and unintentionally judged and
pitied; we show up. Even when it means skimming on our social life
and self care; we show up.
I cannot tell Doria Ragland what an
inspiration she is to me; but I share this story with pride and joy in
my heart. Doria reminds me that the statistics that point to the
hardships of children of single mothers are just that, statistics,
and that we and our children are so much more than any statistic. And she reminds me
to always carry myself with strength and grace; for we know what
we’re made of because of what we have been through. No, I’m not at
all surprised that a single mother traveled across an ocean alone to
attend a high profile royal wedding; I would be surprised if it were
anyone else.