There is wisdom and beauty to be gained from exploring bygone eras and learning from our predecessors. This respect and admiration for history is why we are so fond of the classics. We realize, however, that it can be easy to see the past with rose-colored glasses. We can grow nostalgic for a simpler, easier time, forgetting that much of our collective history has neither been simple nor easy. To learn from history means being aware of painful events and harmful ideas, and making our understanding of the past as holistic and complex as the individuals who lived during that period.
For us, the wax seal symbolizes that duality. In the Middle Ages wax seals were used to signal the legitimacy of official documents and royal decrees. When high-powered officials would send letters or private correspondence, the symbol stamped into the seal by a hand-made signet ring served as a signature, verifying the identity of the writer. No two signet rings were alike, and when the owner died, the ring would be destroyed to prevent forgeries. The wax seal embodies sentimentality, but not at the expense of truth. We are not interested in an idyllic and perfect past, because what is perfect is rarely authentic. The wax seal symbolizes our promise to share beauty and celebrate history, but also to paint a complete and honest picture, even when that picture is challenging. We honor our predecessors as complex people, a product of individual character and societal influences. We honor you by knowing you are worthy of the truth.
Signed, Sealed, and Delivered,
The Bond & Grace Team
