It was hard being a single mother. It seemed like the weight of the world was always on her shoulders. There was no one to share the responsibilities with, no one to lean on when times were tough, and no one to help pick up the pieces when things fell apart.

But she had no choice. She had to do it all on her own.

Karen had been a single mother for years, ever since her husband walked out on her and their two young children. It was the hardest thing she'd ever been through, and she'd been through a lot. But she was determined to make it work, no matter what.

It wasn't easy. There were days when she wanted to give up when she felt like she couldn't take another step when the weight of everything threatened to crush her. But she kept going, kept pushing through because that's what mothers do.

Her days were long and tiring. She worked a full-time job, and then came home to more work – cooking, cleaning, laundry, helping with homework, and all the other things that come with being a mother.

There were times when she wished she had someone to share the load with, someone to help her get through the tough times. But there was no one, and so she soldiered on, one day at a time.

Karen's children were her world. They were the reason she got up in the morning, the reason she kept going when things got tough. They were her everything, and she loved them more than anything in the world.

But it wasn't easy raising two children on her own. There were times when she had to be both mother and father when she had to be tough and gentle at the same time, and when she had to make hard decisions and face difficult situations. It was a lot to handle, but she did it because that's what mothers do.

It wasn't all doom and gloom, though. There were moments of joy and laughter, moments when her children made her proud, and moments when she felt like she was doing something right. The love that she felt for her children made everything else worth it.

As the years passed, Karen watched her children grow and thrive. They faced their challenges, but they never gave up, just like their mother. Watching them become strong, independent, and loving young adults filled her heart with pride.