Parental Kingdom - Personal blog of Trisha Rapley, Australian Author.

I have yet to master what we like to call "parenting" while being a single one, but so far, I would think most days, I have a handle on it.

It hasn't been without fault or battle, but for the most part, the reward has far outweighed the strength it has taken to make it through some days.

I have found that the smaller wins empower me more than the larger ones, and while that may seem a little odd to say, it's just the way it is for me.

I have a newfound sense of realisation knowing our children never really belong to us but rather themselves and God, and that we are only here to guide, nurture, love and teach for as long as God permits. Knowing and accepting this has made the process of an empty nest so much more comforting than before.

I still believe that our children are a testament to how they are raised by us, the kindness their hearts become while growing and the understanding that comes from the strength they gain from watching our struggles in life.

I'm a better woman, a better friend, a better sister, a better daughter, and a better human for being a mum and a parent, and I thank God every day for the blessings only being a mum can bring.

I have spent years placing my focus on their success and their happiness, and it has paid off day after day, and I wouldn't do it any differently if given the chance.

My children save me every day from a world without acceptance, without understanding, without compassion, and without love because they simply exist.

They have and always will be the reason I exist aside from God; their tenacity and resilience provide the foundation I draw strength from when I doubt myself, and that's what I love most about them.

I never knew what true love was until I saw the forgiveness in their eyes when I thought I failed them.

There isn't anywhere in this world that I would rather be than in their lives and in their hearts.

I am consumed by the strength of their Love for me.

Parental Kingdom - Personal blog of Trisha Rapley, Australian Author.

Parental Kingdom - Personal blog of Trisha Rapley, Australian Author.