Sheryl Sandberg breaks our hearts recounting her first year as a single mother

Three years ago, Sheryl Sandberg became a household name with her book , Lean In, which sparked a movement that encouraged women to pursue their career goals. But as even Sandberg will attest, a large part of leaning in when you’re a working mother is having a strong partner behind you.

This week, the Facebook exec took the occasion of Mother’s Day as well as the one-year anniversary of the death of her late husband, Dave Goldberg, to reflect on the personal hardship of being a newly-single parent and to highlight the difficulties many single mothers face. The short essay, shared in a post on Facebook, is truly moving. Here, a few highlights.

Sandberg opens with a statement of support for all mothers, but especially those raising their children alone:

Becoming a single mother brought to light questions that Sandberg had never had to face before:  

Sandberg also realized that society tends celebrates the father and the two-parent household, which makes things especially difficult for single moms:

She admits that she downplayed the struggles of single mothers and other non-”traditional” families in Lean In.

Accordingly, it’s high time for policy and society to catch up with the changing model of the American family.

Read Sandberg’s letter in its entirety here and if you have a mom in your life that you love, be sure to give her a call today.