Kabier and I first crossed paths virtually in the fall of 2022. I quickly realized he wasn’t very chatty and stopped responding to him altogether. When he reached out again, I figured we should at least meet once. We first met for coffee before I had to work a nightshift, and I quickly noticed Kabier’s charm, kindness, and calming presence. Over the next several months, we would meet up for dinners on our days off, and over time Kabier became the person I would always be excited to talk to, telling him about my day or making plans to hang out again. Slowly our weekly dinners turned into more – working out together, going to coffee shops, starting a new TV show – any excuse to spend more time together. There is no exact moment I can pinpoint, but Kabier became my person. That was evident within the first year. We started talking about the future and what we envisioned for ourselves. By spring of 2024, I knew he was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Fast forward to September 2024 - Kabier had a full week of surprises planned for me, ending with the most beautiful proposal I could’ve dreamed of on a gorgeous day in the city where our story began. Now our dates consist of going to coffee shops to read together and me talking nonstop at dinner while Kabier eats his meal (plus mine) – but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
As Jyoti likes to say, she and I met the old-fashioned way: on Hinge. We met up for the first time in a coffee shop. It felt so easy to have a conversation with her (although she probably still would say I was pretty quiet!). As we walked away together after that first date, things just felt very right to me. It’s hard to explain. We started to talk more and more after that. I couldn’t wait to text her every morning. Our dates together became the highlight of my week. With every message and every date, what struck me most about Jyoti was how kind she was. She has a heart of gold – I thought that early on and I believe that even more today. Over the weeks and months, Jyoti very quickly became my best friend. Anything that I did with her, whether it was cooking, going for a walk or reading at a coffee shop, was a blast. On top of that, she made me a better and more well-rounded person. It was on a cold December night in 2023 at the Lightscape in the Chicago Botanic Garden – that’s when I knew Jyoti was the person for me. I proposed in September 2024, and since then I have felt the connection between us grow more and more. I feel a sense of completeness with Jyoti, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life together with her.