Article: Love, in All Its Forms: A Valentine’s Day Reflection on Symbolism and Strength
Love, in All Its Forms: A Valentine’s Day Reflection on Symbolism and Strength
With Valentine’s Day approaching, I am reminded that love is a force, both magical and real, one that extends far beyond romance.
“Love is a force, both magical and real.”
It is not confined to one day on the calendar, or to one type of relationship. It does not look the same for everyone, and it does not arrive only through romance. Love is far more expansive than that. It is something we build, carry, and return to again and again.
When I think about love today, I think about how it shows up powerfully in everyday life. In the relationship we cultivate with ourselves. In friendships that feel like home. In mentors and mother figures who shape us. In family, both the one we are born into and the one we choose for ourselves. In creative collaborations. In the animals who accompany us through life, leaving their imprint on our hearts long after they are gone.
This understanding of love has always informed my work, and my values.
The Heart and the Heartbeat
The heart and the heartbeat are the most literal representations of love in my work.
They are universal symbols. The heart speaks to connection, devotion, and care. The heartbeat is the true pulse of life itself. Together, they remind us that love is not abstract. It is lived, embodied, and deeply human.
When I sculpt a Heart or a Heartbeat talisman, I am not thinking about a single story of love. I am thinking about all of them. The visible and invisible bonds that sustain us. The love we offer outward, and the love we are still learning to offer ourselves.
Love as an Enabling Force
While the heart and the heartbeat are the most literal representations of love in my work, they are not the only ones.
Every symbol I return to carries an aspect of what love makes possible. Protection. Courage. Resilience. Transformation. The confidence to speak one’s truth. The strength to move forward, even when it feels difficult.
These symbols are not separate from love. They are expressions of it. They reflect what love enables us to do and become when we feel supported, connected, and empowered.
“Love is something we feel. And it shapes us, steadies us, and gives us the strength to act.”
Love is something we feel, of course. But above all, it is something that shapes us, steadies us, and gives us the strength to act.
If you’d like to explore the meanings behind my symbols, you can visit Shop by Symbol.
Love as a Living Practice
To me, love is not static. It is not sentimental or fragile. It is a living practice.
It asks us to show up. To protect what matters. To grow. To forgive. To choose again.
It evolves over time, deepening as we change. In this sense, love is powerful. It is transformative. It leaves nothing untouched.
This is why I think of love as alchemy.
Something real, grounded, and physical, that still holds mystery. Something that transforms everything it touches.
Carrying Love With You
The pieces in my Amour collection are designed to be worn close, not saved for special occasions. They are made to live with you. To gather meaning. To mark milestones. To accompany you through seasons of change.
The very first Heartbeat ring I carved has lived on my left pinky since 2012. It has witnessed the many seasons, phases, and adventures I have experienced since then, and the many more yet to come. I cast it in 18k rose gold, the pink warmth of the metal reminding me of the promise I made to myself to always come from love.
These jewels are solid gold reminders of the bonds we carry, and of the strength, protection, and resilience those bonds give us as we move through the world.
Each piece is hand-sculpted and cast in solid recycled gold, created with intention and care, meant to last and to be lived in.
Even the materials matter to me. Love, to me, includes responsibility toward the earth and the hands that help bring these pieces to life.
You can explore the Amour collection here: Amour Collection.
An Open Invitation
This time of year often places love into a very narrow frame. I prefer to open it wide.
Romantic love is beautiful.
But it is not the only love worth celebrating.
If there is one thing I hope my work reminds you of, it is this: love is already present in your life, in many forms. It is a force you carry within you.
“Love, in my world, is pure alchemy.”
And in my world, and I hope in yours, love is pure alchemy.
With love and gratitude,
Delphine
Editor’s note: This reflection continues a theme I first shared in 2021. Read the original here.
