Dear Tiffany,

I’ve been sitting here with a blank page for probably about fifteen minutes now, because there’s so much that I want to say to you, that I don’t know where I could possibly start. I can’t really say that I’ve been with you since the beginning, after all, since I joined the fandom when it was already well underway. But at the same time, I still feel a sense of accomplishment, a sense of pride, just going through all of the old video clips and performances, looking back on earlier music videos and variety shows, and simply realizing exactly how much you’ve grown since fixing that lovely pink motorcycle in preparation for your journey “Into The New World”.

Sorry for the horrible pun.

I’d move on from the subject of badly made jokes as soon as possible, but actually, this is a wonderful transition to the core of what I want to highlight: your brightness. That’s the first thing I noticed about you, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. In fact, everyone should know it, and an eye-smile famous throughout the entire world is nothing to be laughed at — rather, we should be laughing with you, yeah?

It’s not just your expression, though. I mean, don’t get me wrong — every time you flash a grin at me, even from thousands of miles away and through a computer screen, I can’t stop myself from returning the favor. But I think that your smile has become something more than just a face you put on for the cameras. It’s a genuine response, whether for complete strangers or for your most cherished loved ones. That smile is you. And it, just like you, has grown into something much, much more.

That’s why I didn’t say that I wanted to highlight your smile. Because it’s your entire demeanor, your outlook on life, that bursts through and reaches SONEs — even just casual passersby — around the globe. And that’s admirable. It’s admirable that you could take all kinds of hardships head-on with that unshakable grin: powering through a terrible loss, an entirely new culture, even all of the people who’d rather see you fall and stay down rather than help you get back up again.

Of course, that’s not to say that you aren’t ever sad, or that you aren’t ever allowed to be. Everyone has their down days; we are only human. But that fire that warms you up so wonderfully from the inside just never seems to go completely out, no matter how much it might get trampled on. And before you know it, it’s burning brighter than ever, again — and that’s just as beautiful as the smile you’re so famous for.

I won’t be the first fan to say that you’ve helped me get through some tougher times, and I definitely won’t be the last. But in closing, I really would just like you to know that we wish you, Tiffany, a very, very happy birthday. Next year’s will be even better, and we’ll still be here to greet you — perhaps even more brightly than before.

Sources: BE SWEET ON, Wilsone1123, SHINING SMILE, CompleteBliss, Tiffany’s Instagram
Written by: moonrise31@soshified

Originally posted on August 1st, 2015.