How did I become such a strong single mother?

(Baonghean.vn) - I became a single mom at the age of 24. Many times I thought I wouldn't be able to get back on my feet after all the suffering. But watching my little son grow up day by day, those pains gradually faded away, disappearing with time...

I became a single mother at the age of 24. (Illustrative photo: Nguyen Hong)

In my life's dictionary, the words "single mother" never crossed my mind. Because I had a beautiful six-year relationship with my boyfriend from the same village. That love culminated in a joyous wedding, with family, relatives, and friends celebrating. Our happiness multiplied when we welcomed a handsome baby boy.

My husband is an introverted man. He loves me very much but never shows it openly. When our son was born, he became even more caring and attentive to me. I lived happily with my husband and son. I used to think that a woman's happiness only needed these things: a loving and doting husband; and a well-behaved, healthy child.

When my son turned one year old, troubles began to creep into and engulf my happy little home. I stayed home to care for him after giving birth, and my business temporarily came to a halt. Around the same time, I overheard neighbors gossiping about my husband having an affair.

At first, I didn't believe those veiled remarks. But I couldn't ignore my husband's actions and attitude. Gradually, I noticed many strange things about the man I had always been so close to. He started coming home late frequently and occasionally spending the night away from home. When I asked him about it, my husband only gave vague answers about work.

When he was home, he was always glued to his phone, constantly texting and chatting about all sorts of things. Because I was busy taking care of the children, I didn't have time to investigate my husband. One day, by chance, I discovered messages he had sent to an unknown number, filled with incredibly sweet words, like those exchanged between two lovers. I was utterly bewildered; everything seemed to spin before my eyes.

After calming down, I directly asked my husband about those messages. At first, he flatly denied it, making various excuses. Although I was suspicious, I remained calm, kept quiet, and pretended nothing had happened.

Shortly after, for some inexplicable reason, my husband openly revealed his affair right in front of me and everyone else. Our relationship began to fracture. Arguments became commonplace. I was subjected to physical and emotional abuse on numerous occasions. I was devastated by the betrayal, but I was even more heartbroken to see my young son witness these terrible events.

My spirits plummeted, and I fell ill repeatedly. Every night, my eyes would stay wide open until the next morning. I pitied myself, and felt even more sorry for my son. My in-laws knew about my situation and felt immense sympathy for me. They cared for me as if I were their own daughter. I was constantly ill. I desperately tried to get my husband to return to me and our son. I tried gentle persuasion, affection, and even begging. But my husband showed no intention of changing or returning to our family. On the contrary, if any arguments or fights arose between us, my husband would steadfastly defend his mistress as if she were his wife.

I was heartbroken every time I thought about my husband with another woman. We struggled like this for over a year. During that time, I felt like a soulless shell. Life suddenly became a torment for me.

My husband wants a divorce. At this point, I truly feel trapped. If we divorce, my son will be fatherless. But if we continue this life, neither I, my husband, nor, and especially, my son, will find happiness. Perhaps fate has already decided, I thought, and with a heavy heart, I made the painful decision to let my husband go with the other woman...

My son and I are starting a new life.

My son and I started a new life, a life free from the shadow of that unfaithful man.

Over a year has passed, and I've started selling again. My son is growing up. He can walk, talk, understand my confidences, and even comfort me when I'm sad. I throw myself into work and dedicate all my love to my child.

Being quick-witted and energetic, my business has been going quite smoothly. My son is two years old and has started preschool. Aside from the work and school responsibilities, my son and I spend the rest of our time together, taking care of each other in every little way.

Watching my little son grow up day by day fills me with both love and sadness. At his age, everyone else has a father or mother to take them out and about. But my son lacks a father's love. Everywhere we go, it's just the two of us. Sometimes he asks, "Where did Dad go, Mom?", and I wipe away my tears and lie to him, saying, "Dad's on a business trip!" At those times, I feel incredibly heartbroken.

The hardest times are when either my son or I get sick. Both sets of grandparents are sometimes busy and sometimes tired, so my son and I take care of each other. We take the bus to the city together for checkups. We look after each other while hospitalized. At just two years old, my son seems more mature and understanding than his peers. When I'm sick, he knows to play nicely with his grandparents. When he sees me crying or feeling sad, he runs to comfort me: "Mommy, don't cry, you mustn't cry, I love you!" and then hugs me.

My life with my son went on like that, day after day, month after month. I single-handedly shouldered the roles of both mother and father: work, housework, and especially, caring for and raising my son, which always came first. There were always difficulties in our lives, both material and emotional. But seeing my son happy and well-behaved as he grew up gave me more strength than anything else in the world.

I love my son very much! And even though I am a single mother, and there are many challenges ahead, I still believe that the love my son and I have for each other will be the strength that will guide us through the pain to reach the shores of happiness...

Tian Tian

(Recorded based on the account of a HTV reporter from Do Luong district)