January 2026 Top 3
Three touchstones as we begin 2026
January tends to arrive quietly. After a year that asked for resilience, restraint, and clarity, I find myself drawn to things that feel grounded—ideas and places that remind us how meaning is built over time, not in moments of urgency.
These are three I’ve been returning to as we step into the year ahead.
River Teeth publishes essays that reward attention. The Beautiful Things series, in particular, is an invitation to slow down and notice what endures—objects, rituals, landscapes, and relationships that carry meaning precisely because they are ordinary. I return to this journal when the noise feels loud or the pace feels rushed. These are not pieces meant to be skimmed. They ask for presence. There’s a steadiness here that feels especially appropriate in moments of uncertainty. A reminder that beauty isn’t performative—and that reflection can be a form of grounding. Micro essays for reflection somewhere between blog and poetry. Simple, accessible humanity right in your inbox.
365 days of self care and renewal. I am in between on new years resolutions– but this is a habit that although I don’t practice every day, I feel like a better version of myself when I do. Everyday Radiance is not a book about reinvention. It’s about refinement—paying attention to what’s already working and making space for it to be seen. I appreciate books that don’t insist on momentum. This one encourages intentionality instead: how light enters a room, how routines shape our days, how small choices accumulate into something lasting. It’s aspirational without being prescriptive, beautiful without being precious.I keep it nearby, opening it at random rather than reading straight through. It’s the kind of book that quietly recalibrates how you move through your own space—subtle, but lasting.
Minnesota
Minnesota has always shaped how I understand resilience. I grew up there, stayed through college and graduate school, and learned early what it means to endure—long winters, long conversations, and a deep belief in showing up for one another. I don’t know what else I can add to a profound dialogue but I know that my family is designed and influenced by the vibrant East African culture of Minneapolis with the adoption of our son, Simon and my personal growth tied directly to many immigrant friends. As I talk to my children about racial profiling and what to do if there was ICE here, I am struck with how far we are from the epicenter but how rooted we are in our history. I have never been more proud than to come from the land of 10,000 Lakes.
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