It's A Garnet Girl!

Louise recently gave birth to her daughter, Rina, in January. I added her new baby's birthstone, Garnet, to the custom Mother's Ring I created in 2009. The warm red glow in Garnets is said to symbolize the eternal strength of true love.   

The seed-like shape of Garnet crystals in their natural form reminded the ancient Greeks of a pomegranate seed. One version of the Greek myth that explains why we have cyclical seasons tells a story of pomegranates and true love. Hades, the god of the Underworld, had fallen in love with the daughter of Demeter, the goddess of the weather and plants. Hades convinced Persephone to come to the Underworld with him, and gave her a pomegranate. Not knowing that eating food from the Underworld would keep her from ever returning to her mother, Persephone ate three seeds of the pomegranate. As the last red jewel-like seed passed her lips, she fell deeply in love with Hades. Her mother, Demeter, bereft that she would never see her daughter again, caused the first winter to fall over the land. Zeus saw the pain Demeter was in, and commanded Persephone to split the year between her dear husband and her dear mother. When Persephone returned for half the year, Demeter’s joy caused warmth to return and plants to blossom.