It is with heartfelt gratitude that I reach out to say thank you for all of the lovely birthday wishes from all over the world.

As many of you know, I've been working on all aspects of myself---continuing to grow healthier in all ways (body, mind, spirit, and emotions). After a lifetime of feeling that I wasn't worthy of my own attention and affection, I learned to love myself. That was a huge thing for me and I am still overjoyed to acknowledge who I am and proudly proclaim that I love myself.

I'm not perfect, but I'm perfectly me---allowing myself to blossom more fully into who I am as the days go by. I've been openly sharing my journey because I know that I'm not the only person who has lived a life without self love.I receive emails from so many of you saying that you can relate to what I've been through, the pain I've suffered on all levels. You've shed tears and thanked me for my story because it has helped you see more clearly your own self. With open arms, and an open heart, I love all of you. It brings me great joy to know that through sharing I am able to help you grow and blossom more into your own beautiful selves. Imagine a world where we all know and love ourselves for the lovely individuals that we all are! What a beautiful and fragrant garden there would be!

Do you know the saying about freely giving out love because you never run out of it? Well, that's definitely true! There's something else that happens, however, the more you share love: it comes back multiplied more than you ever could have imagined! That's what happened to me on my birthday--I was overwhelmed with a flooding of love coming in from all over the world!

Over the weekend, my Twitter and Facebook accounts, and email inbox, were flooded with loving birthday wishes for my special day. Then I was presented with the special birthday book that Jim had so lovingly worked on with many of you! With each turn of the page, my heart burst open even more as I realized the depth of it all.

Jim had worked on the birthday project for many months. It was obvious, with each turn of the page, that he had put a lot of thought into this very special gift. He has been by my side for over twenty years, witnessing my struggle to break free from a life held down by emotional pain and scars. He surely knew that the amazing gift he was creating for me would mean the world to me.I wonder, however: Did he know how much his gift was going to help me grow?

I've always known that my family loves me. However, to feel, without a doubt, that I am loved by so many others was life-changing for me. I truly feel loved by all of you. I feel blessed and grateful for all of the love and affection so many of you have given to me. Imagine a world where we all know that we are loved by so many others!

This was THE BEST birthday EVER! My heart is overflowing with love for all of you and with your love for me! There's a depth to it that I can't articulate---I feel that the love I am feeling from all of you has given me even more love and strength to be more of who I am, to blossom open even more. It is with heartfelt gratitude that I write this. It is with immense love that I visualize all of you being filled with blissful love each and every day.Please don't ever doubt that you are loved, for you are!

*blows kisses*