We know light because we also know darkness.

Louise Locket – sterling silver spoon, sterling silver, white topaz

Contrast is essential.

We know joy because we also know sadness.
We know connection because we also know solitude.
We know quiet because we also know noise.

And, we know light because we also know darkness.

The Lantern Necklace – Rose de France Amethyst, Sterling Silver, Patina

I think this is why I love to pair brilliant natural gemstones with a sultry patina on the metal that holds them. There’s something in the contrast between the sparkle of the gem and the depth of the patinated metal tones that fascinates me.

When things in life shift from one experience to another, we notice. When the sun shines after a week of rain, when a child no longer needs training wheels, or when those below-ground bulbs emerge from frozen earth with fragrant blooms in the spring, we notice. Likewise, there’s something about the sparkle of a gemstone surrounded by a richly colored metal that catches the eye in a special way.

I think of it as a basic tenet of the human experience. Because it was dark, we notice the light. And not only do we notice it, we need it. All of it. We need the light, and the darkness teaches us, too. And then we are called to go beyond and live in harmony among both.

“All the darkness in the world can’t extinguish the light of just one candle.”

Those are the words of my friend David LaMotte. (Check out his latest work here.) It is but a single line from an entire album of rich layers of meaning and melodies released in recent weeks called The Other Way Around. That single line is from a song about choir singers of different faiths (Muslims and Christians) coming together to sing songs from each other’s faith traditions, in Sarajevo. Yes. This is light.

I choose to believe that we are all capable of bringing light to any situation. David’s lyrics talk about the contrast between light and darkness, and how the light is NOT the fragile one of the two. Certainly there is plenty of darkness in the world. May we all be able to find the light, and may we also be the light.