"Are You Kori?"

It was exactly one year ago that Teri swaggered over to where I was sitting at Wandering Goat on a Saturday morning and asked me, "Are you Kori?" She was looking for information on a book group and had been told that I would be the gal who could help. This introduction or "meeting" has become part of our myth and we get to tell it over and over again when people ask how we met. Of course, neither one of us had any idea where we would be twelve months later.

Was it love at first sight? Definitely not. Did I think she was cute? Absolutely. I think she just thought I was someone who could help her connect to other things going on in the community. In reality, however, we did start getting to know each other as friends right away and if I am to be honest, I was probably confessing to a few close people that I had a bit of a "crush" within a matter of a few weeks. She was sassy and genuine and didn't seem to have any trouble putting her opinions and ideas forward and I liked that. She had an amazing smile and we got each other's humor. I have always been a sucker for a person who could master the art of the pun!

When Tiger and I tell our "story," it changes as we change. How it felt and what I thought was happening for me at the time is different from the story we are able to tell together now one year later. Anyone who knows us, however, knows that we were both cautious, intentional and what we jokingly call our "courtship" was really a combination of nurturing a friendship and negotiations on what sort of relationship we wanted to build.

Despite the fact that we are both pretty darn decent communicators, the past year has not always been a breeze. We have been incredibly fortunate to have plenty of time to get to know each other and the fact that we do genuinely enjoy each other's company on multiple levels has been a delightful gift. I tell people that with two women our age, we really have to sift and sort and work with a combined CENTURY of history, experiences and "baggage"--not always an easy task. But when it comes down to it, the truth is, I really like her. She is smart and challenges me mentally and intellectually; she is definitely someone to laugh with; she is deep and compassionate and intensely passionate; and for now, we "work"--we just seem to fit as we deepen our understanding of each other.

Yes, I know, it is still so early in the whole scheme of things and we remind ourselves of that constantly. Despite all that we have crammed into the first twelve months, we really are still bumbling along at the beginning. I am okay with that; I dig being a part of this unfolding and changing story.