Beloved entertainer Beyoncé Knowles-Carter shared a lot of love and wisdom in a beautiful handwritten letter to fans on her official website this week in recognition of her 40th birthday on Sept. 4. 

She writes that as “Virgo Season” comes to an end, she hopes her fellow Virgos all had great birthdays. 

Beyoncé accepts the Best Rap Performance award for “Savage” onstage during the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in March in Los Angeles. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

The superstar mom of three then goes on to respond to fans and supporters who shared their well-wishes for her in celebration of her birthday. 

“I’m so thankful for every inspiring human who took the time to send me all the beautiful messages,” she wrote. “I cried tears of joy and was covered in chilly bumps. Your videos, your posts, your countdowns, your playlists and your well wishes, I will cherish forever. I’m grateful to everyone involved, especially the fans, for the time and level of detail it took to organize such beautiful tributes. I admire and respect all of you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Acknowledging the perilous 18-month pandemic period that has changed us all, Beyoncé noted, “This is the first year that I really understand what it means to be alive and to live in the moment. It’s the first time that I have an understanding of how fragile life truly is, how hard life can be at times, and therefore how important it is to stop and smell the roses during the good times.” 

She added that the more she matures, the more she understands, and the deeper her personal joy grows.

“There’s a freedom and liberation knowing that I’ve made it to the other side of my sacrifice,” she wrote. “I’m finally giving myself permission to enjoy the seeds I’ve worked so hard to plant my whole life.”

She then addressed the idea that women are supposed to be sad or feel bad about aging, writing, “Whoever tried to condition women to feel that we are supposed to feel old or unhappy when we turn 40 got it ALL THE WAY F’d UP” and declaring that “this has absolutely been the best I’ve felt in my life. I’m so grateful to be GROWN, GROWN!”

Beyoncé notes her fans have known her more than half of her life. “Most of y’all met me when I was 15, and we have grown up together,” she shared. “You bring sooooo joy into my life. I hope my art can continue to bring a little joy into yours.”

Ending the thoughtful letter, she wrote, “I love you,” followed by the word “deep” until the end of the page, then signed off with an adorable bumblebee. 

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