A little over a month ago, I spoke in passing with a lady who was flabbergasted that I would not be celebrating Father's Day with my father. What she did not know was that my father is no longer in the picture and has not been around since I was learning how to walk. Instead of spending the weekend camping or making a special meal for dear old Dad, I would be spending the holiday with my mother. To an outsider, the situation may not seem ideal, but I would not have had it any other way. Single parenthood is often looked down upon, and although it is far from "the dream," I do not understand why it is so severely discredited. Nobody wants to raise a child on their own, nor does anyone want to live without ever knowing their father or mother, but life never really gives anyone that choice. And while it is true that there are times I have been envious visiting friends with happily married parents, I am grateful for my experience, because it has taught me many life lessons.

1. Mistakes (and forgiveness).

Although I am convinced I have the most amazing mother in the entire world, no parent is perfect and my being the first and only child has been a learning experience for us both. I have learned to forgive her, and she has certainly had to learn to forgive me (admittedly, the latter has been a more frequent occurrence).

2. Maturity.

I had a wonderful childhood and was incredibly blessed growing up. But I also had to deal with loss, tragedy and sorrow from a very young age, and because of that I have had to learn how to deal with certain situations with strength and maturity.

3. Hard Work.

My mother has had to be the mother and the father of the household; over the years she has had to cook, clean, change diapers, nurse boo-boos and deal with the teenage years while earning a stable income to support the two of us. (Between me and you, the reader, I am unconvinced that my mother is not secretly Superwoman).

4. That Special Bond.

My mom and I are pretty much best friends and nobody can come between the two of us. I go to her for everything, whether I need a hug or a good laugh, someone to be goofy or serious with, someone to talk about boys with, someone to ask for clothing advice and most importantly someone I can trust with anything. We have spent the best of times and worst of times together, and it has brought us closer together.

5. Appreciating What You Have.

I am not just talking about money, although growing up with my mother has taught me a lot about finances (then again, my mother is basically a budget guru...I stand by my Superwoman theory). What I have truly come to appreciate more than anything else is time. Because my mother works during the week, I have learned to appreciate spending time with her on her days off, whether it be on vacation or simply sitting together on the couch watching television. I have learned that you do not know how much longer you have with any of your loved ones and to make each and every moment count.

6. Self-Respect.

My mother did not remain in an emotionally abusive relationship, nor did she rush to try and find a new man straight away. She had enough respect for herself not to endure a harmful relationship or enter into a meaningless one for the sake of it; she knows that she deserves better, and because of her, I know that I do, too. I have learned about men and waiting for the right guy from her more than if my father had been around.

Being raised by a single parent has certainly had its ups and downs. If life were a "choose-your-own-adventure" story, I would not have taken this path, but it is what life has dealt me, and I am grateful for I am who I am today because of it. If If I were given the opportunity today to change the past, I cannot say I would change a thing. Well, except for maybe that one time I lied about eating the candy bar...