Doing It My Way

I'm supposed to write what I want First Wives World readers to know about me. The request stumped my usual decisiveness — I'm not sure exactly what I want you to know about me!

A couple of song titles serve as great ice breakers. I am woman. I will survive.

I was a first wife, so I feel comfortable in this world. I have been separated, now divorced, for six years. I was married for almost eleven years.

Some fantastic things came out of my marriage. My sons are 15 and 10, and my daughter is 13. They all live with me. Life is full to overflowing, and I am truly happy with my life as a single mother.

That doesn't mean I think it's easy, because it certainly isn't. I work more than one job so that we can live the best possible life, and am responsible for every facet of my life and my children's. It's exhausting. But I am woman, and I will survive.

I'm Australian — I live in Melbourne. Hopefully there will be perspective I can offer that demonstrates what first wives have in common, wherever we live.

I am not sure that I will ever be a second wife. Although I am very clearly single, I don't describe or define myself as such. I'm a single parent, sure, but live such a full life that the absence of a partner is irrelevant to me.

I guess I should never say never. At 42, there is plenty of time for a second marriage. I always joke when asked about dating — and that's often — that I would need to go on a date first.

It is unlikely, therefore, that my posts for First Wives World will be about dating or wanting to date. They will be about embracing single parenting, getting on with a great life, being woman and surviving.

Perhaps I can throw in another song title. I want to look back on my life and say I did it my way.