Buffalo, NY. January 2026.

Ansul and I made our way into a quaint cafe – driving through skiddy lanes on the Harlem Street and digging our feet in heaps of snow in hopes to find our corner. Kids dropped off at school, we finally got a moment to pause and process life – raw and unfiltered. Most mornings we feared opening our phones – Texts awaiting our dates for India travel, Teams text on visa updates (or no updates), and Gmail that left us questioning our present. After a positive start to the year, this was far from what we hoped January would be like. That morning at the cafe, I finally wrote again.

Cuddle me, January

In the new beginnings you recon

I will make you mine despite the winter storm that beacons.

Cuddle me, January

In the warmth of the morning sun 

I thank, I pray, I smile watching the girls sharing a butter bun.

Cuddle me, January

In the conversations – with those near and far

I laughed when she asked “when do we get back by the bar”

Cuddle me, January

With the coffee and bagels they serve

Where the mind pours, the heart stirs, and I appreciate the life’s curves.

Hold me, tight

Cuddle me, now.

The snow gets me skidding,

The path is out of sight.

Cuddle me, January

I live with belief in the divine above

I await my February and the cuddles of love.

#2026YoullBeMine