My Dearest Phumelele Mdlalose, Happy Valentine’s Day, my love. I have thought about how to start the letter times. I wonder how to put into words what the heart feels each day. I wonder how to explain that loving you does not feel like an act. Loving you feels like a part of who I'm. When you came into my life I felt a shift. The world felt softer. Laughter came easier. The quiet moments felt full. You did not just come into my life. You brought light. Suddenly everything made sense in a way everything never had before. Phumelele brings me the peace, in a world. Phumelele brings the smile that shows up in my thoughts when my day feels heavy. Phumelele brings the calm that settles me. Phumelele brings the joy that lifts me. Phumelele brings the love that reminds me I am home when I am far, from Phumelele. I love the way you laugh because the laugh does not ask permission and does not try to be small. I love the way you talk because the talk carries warmth and meaning in the words. I love the way you exist because the being is true and real. Loving you has taught me what unconditional love means. Unconditional love means choosing you every day not because unconditional love's easy. Because unconditional love is right. Unconditional love means standing with you in the joy in the silence in the uncertainty and, in the growth. Unconditional love means seeing you your strength, your softness, your dreams—and loving every part, without hesitation. You are strong. Your strong ways inspire me. You are gentle. Your gentle ways heal me. You are playful. Your playful ways remind me not to take life. You make love feel like the place and the adventure, at the time. Sometimes I look at you. I wonder how I got lucky. I think about how the universe trusted me with a person, as you. The thought crosses my mind times. I promise myself to love you. I promise myself to choose you. I promise myself to protect what we have with everything, in me. I write this letter I celebrate this Valentine’s Day I feel this moment as a picture of what you mean to me. No words, no pages no big gestures can ever hold the depth of my love for you. I think if love had a language Phumelele love would speak your name. I think love could have a heartbeat. Love would match the heartbeat you have. If forever had a face the face of forever would look like you. Happy Valentine’s Day, my heart, my joy, my always. Forever choosing you. Forever loving you. Yours, completely and endlessly, Lwazi Heinrich Ndlovu 💖

My Beloved Phumelele Mdlalose, If love were a poem, The attempt to describe you would stumble. If beauty had a voice I hear the whisper. The whisper whispers my name before every sunrise. Your beauty melts my heart, The cause makes the thing fall over you again and again— not clumsily, but willingly, like a leaf surrendering to gravity, I see the moon give in to the pull of the sea. Every time I look at you I feel the rush. I fall in love with a language. I love the language. Sometimes it is quiet and gentle, sometimes it is loud and uncontrollable, but it is always honest. You are my favorite thought, my gentle distraction, my beautiful constant. Forever yours, Lwazi Heinrich Ndlovu ❤️

Phumelele Mdlalose, Ubuhle bakho bungumoya othambile, ongithinta enhliziyweni ungibuyise kuwe njalo, futhi njalo. Ngiyakhetha wena namuhla, kusasa, nakuwo wonke amathuba empilo.