The Transformative Power of Minerals

Aquamarine – surely one of the most evocative gems. It’s like water, like silk, like the play of a child.

The National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The gems and minerals gallery holds examples of ‘the biggest in the world’, ‘the best cut in the world’, ‘the least flawed’ or ‘only flawless’ etc.

Washington Where

Washington, where Lincoln contemplates in a Greek-inspired temple. The throng inside does not impinge on the feeling of sacredness engendered by the dim light; the inscriptions of his speeches; his giant, raised presence and the viewer’s knowledge of his deeds. He gazes over the splendid WWII memorial – all water and stone and silent names and frolicking Americans – towards Washington Monument and the Capitol. With his white and shade and flowing marble, one can’t help but experience him as a deity.