Mmba Mama stems from an enduring indigenous South African term used to describe a gentle kiss from a child to a trusted and nurturing being. It calls out to purity, gentleness and a connection from the heart.

This book attempts to record moments of love in this journey of life that are inspired by real-life stories of others who have had the privilege of loving and being loved straight from the heart. It records bonds formed by human hearts that transcend popular culture and socially constructed behavioural expectations. One enters their space and listens to their heartbeats. The

overlapping thread is that of regular people who overlook biological connections in search of something deeper that is only formed from within human hearts.

These stories - all instigated by some sort of true love letters forged by life - take us on an unpredictable journey. They surpass statistics, racial and geographical divides, and are not intended to comment on patterns and general outcomes. They are merely slices of life. Their significance lies not in the isolation or the other thereof, but merely in ordinary people faced with the extraordinary opportunity to love at all cost.