When I first met Dori, she sat down in my GLAMA chair and seemed excited but a little hesitant about the day. She wasn't sure how her makeup would turn out, but she was optimistic that she would leave looking "better" than she did when she sat down.
The person I was looking at didn't need a drop of makeup - she was a showstopper all on her own.
As I applied Dori's makeup, we got to chatting. She grew up in the Midwest, in Chicago, and started her own escrow business. It wasn't until a month later, I learned how successful of a business this was or just how special it had become.
After Dori's shoot, I was looking at the photos and I was pleased. I knew she'd like them and Kim and I really captured what we called at the time "her sideways look" - i.e. give us that look as if you're peering over your shoulder and flirting with a handsome man across the room.
At the next shoot, Dori came to pick up her photos with a woman who'd I 'd seen her with quite frequently. I thought this woman was her best friend - they argued over which photo was best, picked them apart, pointed at specific elements of the picture and laughed together like only best friends would do.
It was then that I asked Dori "Are you ladies best friends?" to which she replied, "No. this is my sister."
Dori told me that after her shoot, she immediately went to her sister and told her she HAD to sign up. As I studied the two of them, I began to pick up on all the similarities - the same brown eyes, similar clothing styles, and the same witty one one-liners.
In these moments, I could also tell that Dori dearly looked after Judi. Her eyes always looked at her with concern and care. Dori even checked to make sure Judi had her protein drink to sip on and ever so often she'd check-in to make sure she was comfortable while sitting. As pulled out my makeup brushes and got to work, Dori sat in admiration in the corner and watched her sister get pampered.
During Judi and my time together, I learned more about this dynamic duo. Judi and Dori were well educated and business-minded women who started their own escrow company when one of the husbands had passed. It seemed like this was a glue that bonded them together as they ventured further into life.
"We really needed to do this, this was a hard time for us, it probably fueled us to be successful and we really leaned on one another for support."
As years passed, they indulged and traveled more. They moved to Florida, played tons of golf together, and later ventured to San Diego to retire. No surprise here, they live at Vi at La Jolla Village as roommates. There was certainly something special about these two. Maybe it was that sisterly bond that I picked up on (which I'll never fully understand being an only child) but one thing was clear, these two had been there for each other through thick and thin and could continue to be in this life and beyond.
So it got me thinking about how special "that person" is to us all and I started questioning myself. Who was MY person? In my head, thoughts fired...
Who is my ride or die?
Who knows me better than most?
Who is the Dori to my Judi?
To many, maybe their Dori is a significant other, a best friend, a sibling or a parent. To me, aside from my husband, it's probably someone that wouldn't likely guess they're really my "number one". This is probably because at times when I should have called them...I didn't or maybe it's because I'm not the best at expressing it in "actual words"... but in seeing this special bond between these two sisters, I thought it would be appropriate to let this person know.
Mom, you are my ride or die.
I may not tell you everything all the time. We may not always agree. We may not always be the best at communicating what we really want to say.... but I know that no matter what, you'd walk to the end of the earth + back for me.
That's what moms are for.
As we get further in life, like grandma is your best friend, I hope you continue to be mine. I hope age continues to bring us closer though distance has physically made us farther apart. I hope that when I am a mom, I "get it" just like so often you tell me I will.
The moral of this post is that I hope everyone has "that someone" and whether they know it or not - remind them.
Remind them that they're special.
Do something unique to show them that you care.
And sit and watch (just like Dori did) as they feel that glow from your gift of gratitude.
A wise man once said, "God gave you 84,600 seconds in a day. Have you used one to say Thank You?!"
Pending this really is a 4 min read, I just used 240 seconds...
How many can you give?
Photographer: Kim Miller Kelly
Stylist: Mellissa Ramos
MUA: Callie Ahern
Comments