Cori
I had to trick my first story a tiny bit, I didn’t want her to know my long term goal. In part of this, I want to practice and improve my photography and writing while I inspire and record. I have known Cori since I was roughly 13 years old. 18 years of friendship means you know a lot about a person, you grow up together and you see the good and bad of them, you may remember the things they want to forget or see the things they can’t see in themselves. Though Cori and I were not close when we were younger a series of hilarious connections have kept us close for years. The same youth organization, same cities, same college, mutual friends, sorority connection, religious connect, and eventually ended up with one of the same best friends. There is a lot of the story missing here but this isn’t about friendship. We finally accepted the universe was going to force us to be good friends maybe 8 years ago and here we are now.
Cori is single, and though she will probably hit me for starting there I have to with a blog about love stories. How is a single, independent woman a love story? It’s obvious, self-love. Cori has always been one of the strongest women I known, with a good head on her shoulders and a clear view of the world she has always been someone I could turn to for advice or as someone who will listen. She’ll point out in photos how in her youth she would hunch, shying away from her height (6’1”). She’ll openly talk about her struggles with fitness after injury and peer pressure. We like to joke “when you are slim and fit what do you have to be self-conscious about?,” but she will tell you and wearing her heart on her sleeve you’ll understand how you both have the same struggles despite what you each see in the mirror. Maybe it’s part of growing up, where you begin to accept what you can’t change, and realize the things that once dominated your thoughts really don’t matter. Maybe you just reach an age where you stop caring about what every other person thinks. Cori has finally reached the point where her thoughts and opinions are what matter to her and everyone else is just bonus content. When I asked Cori to borrow her face (and yes it was exactly like that) I wanted to play with some photo trends I’ve seen. She agreed and called to my attention her hazel eyes were really green today. She pointed it out again when she walked in the door. “You may want some photos in the sun.” It was only a matter of minutes before we were out the door in the rays of golden hour.
Her confidence shines, just as everyone’s does, when they feel pretty. Cori has learned exactly what her curly hair needs to look fabulous, the perfect shade to color it, and what colors she should and shouldn’t wear. She has a successful career that allows her to continue learning and to travel. Even with just three years with the company, she has a level of financial success those 10 years her senior would be jealous of. She is a fierce, strong, and sometimes intimidating woman. Soon she is going to find the man that is prepared to stand beside her, who won’t hold her back or slow her down as she runs another marathon.
