Sometimes amazing and beautiful things are born out of tragedy.
When Sara Shuster lost her teenage son, she began seeing hearts in nature, everywhere she went.
"At the time, we had no idea how the story of hearts would unfold," Sara says. "Hearts, the clichéd and obvious symbol of love, began appearing and I noticed them in important ways that only made sense to me. I documented the hearts with my phone so I could share the experience with others and encourage them to feel the love and connection I felt in the moment of discovery."
The simple act of taking pictures of them turned into something more, a practice of gratitude - and a chance to share the hearts to connect people.
Sara says, "The practice of gratitude began and was incorporated into my photographic journal representing connection with my son. The images are as found. Not staged, raw, and not edited. Not perfect, but as they are. After seeing the collection of images as a whole, I began to think about how the hearts have sustained us, along with support from friends, family, and our faith. It’s through this realization that Stand with Heart was formed."
Sara's website, Stand with Heart, is a collection of for-sale art intended to "inspire, encourage, and spread love."
You can learn more about Stand with Heart and Sara's story on her website.