Dearly Beloved, as I bask in the warm, delicious aftermath of my birthday, I can’t help but smile. All I wanted for my birthday last year was a hug. Granted, my zoom birthday party was lit and it did end up on the news, but it was still very hard to spend a birthday in complete isolation. I have more than made up for that lost year, this year, with countless celebrations with friends, family, and co-workers. Birthdays have always meant a lot to me and that’s why I always go out of my way for others to make them feel special. To have that so fully reciprocated is a particular embarrassment of riches. This pandemic has been a time for genuine self-reflection and improvement for me. Now that we are coming out on the tail end of it, I’m grateful to be alive and have an unparalleled support system who champions and believes in me even when I don’t. Thank you from the bottom of a very full heart. “If the elevator [or a pandemic] tries to bring you down, Go Crazy, punch a higher floor!”💜🎂