With Mother's Day coming up (on May 8th — put that in your calendar!) I have been thinking about my own mom and the crucial role that she plays in my life. My mom is a single mother, and she has sacrificed so much and supported my siblings and me through everything. I look up to my mom and all single mothers, and I hope to be even half the woman she is. Single moms are truly a gift from God in that they support a household on their own, they are a single person taking on the role of many, they are independent and they get the job done with all the grace and love in the world.

My mom, and all the single parents out there, are much more than a Superman or Superwoman. They take on many roles. For me, my single mom is my best friend, confidant, hero, mother and so much more. Time after time, she is showing me that she does not need anything else but her happiness and her four loves, my siblings and me. To me, that is something so powerful and beautiful.

She does not rely on anyone else to take my sister to and from her activities, to pay the bills, to take her car to the shop, to provide for us or to keep us smiling. I want to thank my mother for always putting the needs of others before her own. Although I express this as often as I can, I don't think she will ever truly know how much that means to me. Single mothers are heroes because they are always saving others from being unhappy, missing out on opportunities or feeling alone. They make sure the house is put together, the food is on the table and their kids are always getting through the day, before even taking a break for themselves. The most amazing thing is that they do not even mind.

As a younger kid, I remember being asked multiple times throughout school to write about my hero or to share with the class who my hero is and why. I can clearly remember sitting at my desk and trying to come up with someone extraordinary. The other kids and I would come up with cliche examples, usually a historical figure or someone who changed the world. All along, I was trying to think too hard when my biggest hero has been the first person I ever met — my mom. It's easy to look past the sacrifices and take advantage of what you have, but she has made me into the person I am today, and I will always look up to her.

So, to my own mom, thank you. Thank you for taking on the role of many, for not letting your divorce slow you down and tackling every obstacle that has gotten in your path. You inspire me to be great, and I love having you as a best friend — you make me laugh harder and louder than anyone else I have ever known. You are incredible.

Single mothers are, always have been and always will be the world's greatest heroes.