Bravo on your post. You brought tears to my eyes because I, too, experience the 'stories' of single parenthood. As you stated..."the complexity (of life) adds depth to their characters, and broadens their understanding and compassion. I think they gain more good from it than bad." That is so true when there are parents (like you) who are perceptive enough to sense the children's feelings, but yet are willing to listen to the children's thoughts and discuss the experience with them in a caring way. Nope, you are not able to parent when your children are with their father, but you are able to instill in the children the understanding and compassion needed to venture on their own. Bravo to you to put all that into words.