We all come into the world through the same means: mothers.

Yet the topic of motherhood is widely debated and triggers visceral responses. Everyone has an opinion. Who can mother? What makes a “good” mother? What about adoption and IVF? Can motherhood extend beyond raising a physical being?

One thing is certain: there is no one way to encapsulate motherhood. It is a deeply personal experience, influenced by generations who have come before.

In honor of Mother’s Day, the inaugural issue of WONDERING shares the faith and convictions of three women:

A mother shares her decision to uproot her life for her son.

A “dork” whose life is turned upside down amid a humanitarian catastrophe.

A 33-year-old deliberating whether she even has a calling to motherhood.

Whether one ends up as a mother, there is a grander story behind each woman. In her series “Faces,” illustrator-producer Willa Jones observes how every blemish, wrinkle, or shade represents another dimension of a life lived. As you wander about your day, wonder, too, about the strength they carry.



Edited & Curated Francis Poon  /  Illustrations Willa Jones