14 Speaks is back, hosted by Carina Smith and Dylan Van Sickle. Our first episode back provides our readers with recap of this week’s Love issue, including Kim K.’s Valentine’s Day cards and the origins of those mysterious heart-shaped chalk candies!

The history of the sweethearts candy can be traced all the way back to 1847, when Oliver R. Chase began to cut small hearts from larger wafer candy. While Chase cut hearts, his brother, Daniel Chase, invented a machine to stamp them.

The initial messages printed on the sweethearts catered to wedding goers and those about to be wed. From sayings like “Married in white, you have chosen right,” to “Married in pink, he will take a drink,” the original sweetheart candies were more linked to marriage than the young love they are synonymous with today.

The wedding theme persisted until the 1990s, when Necco made a move toward more simple, consumer-submitted messages. Today, more than 8 billion hearts are produced each year, with new and rotating messages for all to enjoy.

However, not all of us are so quick to connect with bite-size declarations of love. Sometimes love requires action, which is why we are pleased to share some of our favorite “small acts” that embody that special feeling for us.

Rounding out our first episode is a vignette reading from DePaul student Mikayla Price.

“It was a ring with different shades of red and pink and it reminded me of a planet. It was beautiful. Once he put it on he said ‘Since I can’t take you to Colorado, I wanted to bring Colorado to you.’”

Header image by Madeline Happold.