Pulling Myself Up By My Bootstraps After Getting The Boot: Chapter 5

When Oscar-winner Chris Cooper and his wife Marianne Leone called asking me to photograph him for Cowboys and Indians Magazine, I never imagined this assignment would become my emotional salvation. With a broken foot and an even more broken heart, I dragged myself to Plymouth Plantation, determined to deliver exceptional work despite my personal life crumbling around me.The contrast couldn't have been starker – professionally capturing one of Hollywood's most respected actors while privately enduring the discovery of my boyfriend's infidelity. As I lay on the ground, boot-clad broken foot raised awkwardly in the air, shooting Chris in various Western-inspired poses, I was simultaneously living two realities. One where I was a sought-after photographer whose work would grace newsstands nationwide, and another where I questioned my fundamental worth after betrayal.It was Chris himself who offered unexpected wisdom that day. When I confessed my relationship troubles, lamenting that perhaps I was "too much" – too creative, too successful – for my boyfriend, Chris responded with words that would become my mantra: "Did you ever think the things that make you too much are the things that make you great? Smart men like smart women." This simple truth from a man whose 40-year marriage to brilliant writer Marianne Leone Cooper showed he practiced what he preached became my north star during the darkest period of my life.The universe has a poetic way of delivering messages when we need them most. Standing in an Arizona airport, sobbing after learning my boyfriend at the time had emptied our home while I was away, I looked up to see my Cowboys and Indians cover prominently displayed. It was as if the universe whispered: your work matters, you matter, regardless of who fails to see it. A decade later, Chris, Marianne, and I would collaborate again, winning a 2023 Communicator Award for a podcast episode aptly titled "Staying Together" – proof that sometimes we must endure disappointments to find our way to the collaborations and connections that truly honor our worth.Ready to transform your perspective on love and relationships? Grab a copy of my new book "Shot at Love" on Amazon today and join our community at shotatlovebook.com for exclusive updates on live events and more insights into finding love that celebrates rather than diminishes you. Send us a text Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.