It’s such a shame that English only has one word for ‘love’, when in reality, love is so multi-faceted, so complex, so surreal. It exists on a spectrum with splashes of pain, anguish, hatred, jealousy, patience, kindness, peace, and joy mixed in. So many intense varieties for one feeling.

It’s amazing how such a small, simple word can contain everything imaginable that makes life worth living (or not, to some people). Love is indeed, ‘a many splendored thing’.

When we’re in love - whether it’s with our spouses, our friends and families, furbabies, or even the things we find enriching in life - it’s hard to define exactly what love means to us. And it’s not like we can cheat and copy how someone else defines love. Everyone has their own love story.

Lovin’ is easier said than done.

That’s why we think it’s important for everyone to take a moment to figure out what the word means to them. Just like we have our own definition of success and happiness, you can grow into your own definition of love and figure out how it fits into your life.

Did you know that gemstones are associated with specific things? Like the intricate language of flowers, gemstones can speak a secret language for you. To share, to enjoy on your own, to shout to the world. And combining them speaks a complete story in physical form, sort of like holding a sparkly book.

We do so much in the name of love, sometimes we forget the first person we should love is ourselves. For those who need reminders that it’s okay to have boundaries, there’s few things we can learn from ruby and sapphires.

These two gemstones are the biggest contenders to diamonds in toughness, but they’re often shoved aside because they’re not as ‘expensive’ as diamonds (thanks, De Beers!). Throughout history, however, rubies and sapphires have gone to war, shielding warriors from agonizing deaths.

They aren’t just pretty little things decorating crowns, they have protective qualities you can rely on. This is one of our favorite things about rubies and sapphires. They give a love which is active, fearless, and real. They’ll give you an extra bounce in your step, and the confidence to protect yourself. For the all important ‘me time’ when you can show yourself some love.

The shy pink morganite finds solace nestled between its guardians, the two brightest red stones, garnet and ruby. Together they remind us of the strength of the heart – tender and soft inside, bold and fierce outside. 

Because healing is a tough journey to undertake. You need to know when to push through and when to pause to take a breather, when to give tough love and when to give way to something softer.

The two opposing energies help us balance throughout the delicate moments in a relationship, those turbulent moments when you need to find something to keep you steady.

For those seeking to redefine the meaning of love; maybe platonic love is where it's at right now, or maybe your heart yearns for familial love. Maybe your love of discovery is a budding flower you’ve been focusing on nurturing. It’s time to look outside of the automatic assumption that love is romantic.

Thinking outside the box of norms that we’re saddled with as we grow up is a challenge worth taking. It’s a little like combining gemstone colors which aren’t traditionally put together. Like the lime green of a peridot and the soft pink of a morganite, or a lush blue sapphire and fiery red garnet. Finding your own color combinations and finding your own definitions of love is a journey worth going on.