Like many of life’s great callings, motherhood is a complex role full of paradox and contradiction. Mothers are beings of incredible power, strength, grace and vitality — the ability to carry a child to term and bring it into this world is a feat of creational, physical and spiritual-emotional endurance. It is no wonder that the mother is one of humanity’s greatest icons and most revered figures. On the other hand, a mother’s power is both immense, and circumscribed by her human nature. Put very simply, we have the ability to bring life into being, but that does not mean that we understand all of life’s mystery and meaning. We are still human beings, and our ability to perceive truth is framed and shaped by the human condition.