During the pandemic, we partnered with the editors and founders of Experientia Magazine to share uplifting stories about love. Stories about the love for our siblings and grandmothers, the kindness from strangers, the passion for our craft, and the love we have for the experiences we had even in the uncertainty of life.
Here are some stories that were submitted to our collection:
Story 1: Guided by the Unknown by Sara Lindström, Photographer
“I didn’t have near enough money in my bank account but I was determined to do it anyway. My heart had been shattered by a guy that didn’t seem to care, I had just graduated from uni and my future was an unwritten piece of paper.
The “responsible” thing to do would have been to stay at that solid job I had acquired for the summer, work for a few more months and leave with more money saved up to play it safe. But driven by heartache and impatience, I said f”ck it, now or never, and booked a one way ticket to Peru.
I didn’t have much of a plan, all I knew was that I wanted to see Latin America, learn Spanish, take photos, meet people and then spend the summer road tripping and hike my way through the western United States, and eventually Canada. Ideally, I’d make it all the way to Alaska. I had about one year to accomplish this dream before returning to Sweden to “settle, grow up and get serious.”
Turned out someone had different plans for me.
Halfway through that trip, I stopped for a moment trying to take it all in. I realized I was vibrating with so much happiness, waking up almost every morning with butterflies in my belly feeling that the universe so fully had my back that I made the promise to myself there and then; I was gonna keep living this life for as long as it made me feel this happy.
The “responsible” thing to do would have been to stay at that solid job I had acquired for the summer, work for a few more months and leave with more money saved up to play it safe. But driven by heartache and impatience, I said f”ck it, now or never, and booked a one way ticket to Peru..
I looked at my shoes, they were dirty and had big holes in them. I was definitely experiencing financial constraints, but I was breaking, eating healthy amazing food, I was learning and growing up every day, I kept meeting wonderful people from all over the world, and got to experience the amazing hospitality from the local people of all the places I traveled. It was so humbling and every night, I fell asleep high on gratitude. I was also getting more and more passionate about photography as I used my camera every day to try to capture all the beauty along my path.
Story 2: Self-Love by Stephanie Kasatkin, Graphic Designer
As far as I can remember, my identical twin sister and I were inseparable, and because of that, she and I were always compared to each other; she was girly, and I was sporty. As we were growing up, finding my identity was difficult because I often thought about what people thought of me.
But on December 28, 2018, I made the decision to find my own identity away from being that identical twin known to be the “sporty” one. Cutting my long, curly hair was one of the most liberating things I’ve done. I was no longer hiding behind my hair. I was no longer using my hair to identify my beauty.
I remember staring into the mirror and thinking, “wow, that’s me! That’s Stephanie!”
Story 3: Connecting with my Heritage by Livia Marati, founder of Ina Wellness Collective
Growing up, my Italian aunt, Zia Maria, always had a way of helping me integrate and get in touch with my Italian roots. One interaction in particular always sticks in my mind as a way that shared experiences can break down language barriers.
One summer, while I was living in Rome, Zia Maria decided to introduce me to an Italian girl around my age. But this was no ordinary new friend introduction. For our first time meeting, we met at a park, with an Italian/English dictionary in hand, and spent the afternoon walking around together – me speaking in English trying my best at broken Italian and her speaking Italian trying her best at broken English. Both a little nervous at first, but understanding and incredibly forgiving of the language barrier.
So there we were, speaking two different languages, but somehow completely understanding each other. Surprisingly, there are many things that don’t require a language dictionary like enjoying ice cream, people watching and talking about boyz. Zia Maria picked me up that afternoon, elated to see that we had made it through the day. It was part of her plan to show me that I actually understood more than I think, and that sometimes it takes being out of your comfort zone to learn that. That day will always serve as a reminder of how sometimes human connection and friendship need no translation.
Story 4: Finding Passion by Jed A. Sardoma Espino, FPS Photography
When I was young, I had my first taste of photography from my uncle (photographer), Burt Sardoma Jr. He is definitely one of my inspirations. My interest in the art of photography grew when I would go to auto events with my dad, as he would take photos of all the cars and everything that was going on.
Subsequently, the more I learned about the art of photography and the feeling it can give you inspired me even further. I did some portrait work for friends and felt like I had learned a lot by that time. Over the course of a year of taking photography more seriously, I took basic photography (& intermediate photography later) with Victor Consaga at UOG in 2013.
The course allowed my vision to expand wider, and I realized that learning does not stop. In 2015, I was able to acquire a business license and launch FPS Photography. Even after many years, I am glad to continue learning about this art and finding a passion where I can share the love, as I do with my son, Jase Donnauro Espino. – Jed Espino (@jeders).