We awakened this morning at the molten heart of winter.
People forget that fire is not the only thing that burns; ice does likewise, with remarkable efficiency. With the rising of the sun, we have emerged from the night’s subzero depths, but the mercury still hovers in single digits, and the wind chill remains below the zero mark. It is a day to remain indoors as much as possible, or, failing that, to cover head and ears, face and fingers, as thoroughly as possible. With nearly a foot of new snow on the ground and a temperatures dangerously low, extra care is required.
But there is another molten heart of the season, too, one that goes mostly unrecognized in temperatures such as these. As humans, we detest discomfort and inconvenience, and tend to dwell upon those sensations to the exclusion of all else. It makes us ungrateful, and also unaware, for we fail to recognize the crucial role of Father Sun in winter, to give due thanks for the fact that our added distance now does not, for the most part, imperil our own survival.
And so while this day dawned in bitter cold, beneath the diffuse light of a pale gray blanket, the sun rising behind the clouds turned them shifting shades of pale red: peach, coral, rose. Tonight’s sunset, should any clouds remain for contrast, will be pure fire. And through it all the cold that burns our skin will be mitigated by the sunlight that warms our faces — strengthening our bodies and minds, our hearts and our spirits for the tasks of the day to come.
That, too, is a kind of love, this eternal gift of the sun balanced against an earth that holds and carries us through the seasons. Whether one believes in some grand design or simple accident, the good fortune that attends our very existence is proof that, in some form or fashion, Mother Earth loves us, and reminds us of our obligation to love her in return.
Today’s all-new featured work, completed only a couple of days ago, is this earthy love made manifest, a reminder that what colonial systems regard as impurities, something to be discarded, in fact hold their own unique and powerful beauty, and their own inherent value, too. From its description in the relevant section of the Bracelets Gallery here on the site:
A Fire In the Heart Cuff Bracelet
A fire in the heart keeps body and spirit warm. Wings creates a tribute to the flames of love and devotion with a pair of precious metals and one’s crimson castoffs. The heart cabochon is wrought from the pure fire of molten gold, cooled and hardened into the glossy material known as Rosarita (gold slag). It sits in the embrace of a scalloped bezel, the better to set off its domed surface; both rest atop a heart-shaped backing, cut freehand with a jeweler’s saw, that extends just beyond the bezel’s edges to limn the stone in silver. The setting rests atop the center of a slender band of solid sterling silver, heavy-gauge and highly polished on the surface, with a silken Florentine finish on the inner band. The cuff is 6″ long by 5/16″ across; the setting is 7/8″ high between highest and lowest points by 7/8″ across at the widest point; the heart-shaped cabochon is 3/4″ high between highest and lowest points by 3/4″ across at the widest point (dimensions approximate). Additional views shown above, below, and at the link.
Sterling silver; Rosarita (gold slag)
$1,025 + shipping, handling, and insurance
We tend to think of love in romantic terms: not just the romance of attraction, but that of fantasy, of literary tropes and impossible ideals. But love takes many forms, not least of which is protective. As our peoples have always known, love is what animates the warrior’s heart; love is courageous; love defends. Love is a fire in the heart: to ensure the safety and well-being of its own, to place oneself between its object and that which would harm it.
At the molten heart of winter, we are minded that earth and sun do this for us each day. It is time we returned the sentiment.
~ Aji
All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.
