Beyoncé Reflects on Turning 40 in Personal Letter to Fans

Photo Credit Instagram @beyonce

Her 40th birthday may have been Sept. 4, but Beyoncé her fans, parents and peers have been celebrating all month long. Thursday, however, (Sept. 23) the 28-time Grammy was feeling introspective.

She was also in a sharing mood and took to her website to share what the milestone birthday meant for her and thank her legion of fans in the BeyHive and beyond for their heartfelt messages and support in a personal letter.

"As Virgo Season comes to an end, I hope my fellow Virgos had great birthdays. I'm so thankful for every inspiring human who took the time to send me all the beautiful messages. 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," the megastar began.

Those messages ran the gamut from well-wishes from everyday fans to a star-studded video put together by Harper's Bazaar, for which she was the September cover person. 

After thanking her fans Beyoncé went on to say that this year is the first in which she really understands what it means to live in the moment, something she thought she knew at 21 or 30 but admitted that she didn't. 

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

Most importantly for the singer perhaps was coming to the realization that turning 40 was not an end of youth that should be mourned but a new beginning that should be celebrated.

“Whoever tried to condition women to feel that we are supposed to be old or unhappy when we turn 40 got it ALL THE WAY F’D UP," she wrote. "This has absolutely been the best I’ve felt in my life. I’m so grateful to be GROWN, GROWN!”

Beyoncé ended the note by reminding the reader that most of us met her when she was 15, and we have grown up together, adding, "You bring soooo much joy into my life. I hope my art can continue to bring a little joy into yours. I Love You Deep Deep Deep Deep Deep.” 

Read the entire letter below: