Today, I feel good about being a single mother in South Carolina. A single mother posted to a blog hosted by her local newspaper, Bluffton Today, writing an open letter to her neighbors that described her obstacles and achievements. While the letter is engaging, I am struck by the kindness of the responses. One person writes: "I admire your spunk and the direction you took." Another one says: "Your father must be very, very proud of you. Anyone who reads your letter certainly is..............best wishes for your continued success. Stay in touch!" And others comment in a similar supportive way.

I am overwhelmed with the sudden desire to move to Bluffton.

This exchange suggests the truth of something I've often heard said about southerners. While many of us may have certain stereotypes in our minds about people before we have contact with them, once we do, we make them our friends. I think if more southern single mothers reached out like this mom here, we would have fewer public rants about the problem of single motherhood. Stereotypes just can't hold up when faced with the reality.

Read the letter and the replies yourself at Bluffton Today.