A Single Mother– Solitude that Holds Immense Power

In her small rented home, she navigates life’s challenges and her children’s needs with a quiet strength that speaks louder than words.

Barely a year ago, her world shattered. Her husband passed away, and she left the house she once shared with her in-laws. Everything was unfamiliar: the streets, the neighbours, the walls of her new home.

“Pichhle saal mere jeevan mein bahut badlaav aaye… Pehle thoda ajeeb-sa laga, kuch cheezein samajhne mein waqt laga, par dheere-dheere mahol apna lagne laga,” she recalls.

Her voice wavers for a moment, then steadies. That new home, once alien, is now a sanctuary she has built with patience, love, and constant determination.

Her strength, she says, comes from the little things around her, her daughters’ laughter, the support of close friends, and the responsibility she carries.

“Jab bhi sab kuch toota hua lagta tha, tab main yaad karti thi ki mujhe rukna nahi hai. Har din thoda aage badhne ki himmat di,” she explains.

Starting work while managing the household was one of the toughest challenges she faced. Each day began before dawn, struggling with chores, preparing meals, and attending to her daughters’ needs. Fear and exhaustion often remained  like shadows. Sometimes she doubted whether she could manage everything, whether she could meet the expectations she set for herself. Yet, she found motivation in the smallest things: her children’s laughter, the quiet moments of hope she held in her heart, and the knowledge that giving up was never an option.

During the day, she moved between household tasks and her professional responsibilities, often feeling stretched thin, yet each completed task brought a sense of quiet satisfaction, a proof to herself that she was steadily moving forward.

“Shuruaat mein darr bhi tha, thakaan bhi… kabhi lagta tha ki shayad main sab kuch theek tareeke se nahi kar paungi… Din mein ghar ki bhagdaud, bachchon ki zarooratein, aur phir apne kaam ke sapnon ko pakadkar chalna ek khushi bhi rehti thi ki main ruk nahi rahi hoon,” she reflects, a small, proud smile breaking through as she recounts the journey.

Her dreams for her daughters are simple but profound: happiness, good health, education, and courage. “Wo har faisla himmat ke sath le, kisi se dare nahi aur apne dum par zindgi banaye. Khushi aur sehat, wo hamesha khush aur sehatmand rahe,” she says. 

Even in the quietest moments, she finds time for herself. One night, when the house slept, she sat by the window, letting herself feel her own heartbeat. “Koi kaam nahi, koi fikr nahi, sirf main, meri soch aur mera halka sa dard. Us pal ne yaad dilaya ki kabhi kabhi ye bhi zaroori hai,” she describes the moment she spends with herself to heal. 

Her message about single mothers is simple and powerful: they are not just caretakers, they are the home, the heart, the strength.

“Akeli maa sirf maa nahi… ek poora ghar, ek poori duniya, ek poori himmat hoti hain… woh kamzor nahi, woh duniya ki sabse mazboot Maa hoti hai,” she says, her voice steady, eyes glimmering with quiet fire.

She moves through her home like a living testament to resilience, lifting her daughters’ spirits, tackling work, and finding moments of peace for herself. Every gesture, every smile, every sleepless night carries a story of courage that can teach anyone who watches her that strength isn’t always loud, it is in the soft, steadfast heartbeat that keeps a family alive.

Written by Tahura Shaikh, Grade 10, Avasara Academy, Pune

Tahura wrote this article as a participant of the Media-Makers Fellowship's Nov'25 cohort.