Dear Taeyeon, 

Today is the date of your birth, the day that every SONE remembers, the day that you get showered with gifts, and most importantly, it's the day where everyone recognizes you... just you. 

The thing about birthdays, while it's amazing to celebrate a person's birth and existence in the world, I believe that people should take the opportunity every day to appreciate people in their lives and not just on their birthday. 

When I first saw you, you had your brown hair with the blonde tips.  Remember, the hairstyle you wore in "Bad Girl"?  Yeah, I remember looking at you and thinking about how different and significant you looked.  Your image was far beyond perfect.  The way you sang and performed on stage made you appear like a y goddess; yet, your quirky attitude and cute appearance made you look exactly like a child... a kid  more specifically.  When I heard the title you were given, Kid Leader, I wasn't even surprised.  

And then when I got to know you, through variety shows and other radio programs, I started to understand who you were as a person.  Through your timid mind, closed personal life and relaxed aura, you reminded me of someone who I knew too well...

Me.  

Hearing you say, "I'd rather be at home all day," made me chuckle, because that's the exact same response I would give someone.  It was astounding that your responses to questions would be so similar to mine and that really made me love you more as a person.  I knew you.  I understood you.  

My heart dropped the day your relationship with a certain "boy" from a certain "group" was exposed.  Not because I didn't believe you deserved happiness, but it was because how the media reacted.  While you were just trying to relax and date someone casually, fans threw a fit because you appeared like you were no longer paying attention to them, but to a boy.  I was angry at those fans for thinking that way.  You never owed us anything.  You never had to give us anything because you gave us everything fans could ever want in an idol— your attendance, your loyalty, your smile, your love.  Remember when you spoke up to one of your seniors because he was claiming SONEs as Otakus (which is a highly derogatory term in Korea)?  I literally teared up hearing the news because you never had to stand up for us.  But you did.  And why?  Because you loved us.

You love your fans.  You've given SONEs a reason to be happy and feel inspired.  You make so many people happy, including me, because of the way you carry yourself out.  Thank you.  

You inspire to become a better human, Kim Taeyeon.  You're someone who I truly look up to.  Your love for your fans has been so overwhelming that I can't even explain the feelings I have when you speak to us.  And the way you're so open and honest about your life, not sugar coating anything, makes me respect you even more.  

I was so sad in 2014 when you were crying, apologizing to your fans for the Instagram incident and etc.  Seeing you cry made me cry.  However; in 2015, I was crying tears of joy because of how you overcame those trials and gave your fans music that we could enjoy.  Your album "I", the album that you worked hard on for over a year, literally saved my life.  Hearing how you appreciated your life and found beauty in it.  You have lived two different lives for a very, very long time— one in the spotlight, where you've worked day and night and finally, one where you can be free, procrastinate, and do anything you please.  You've somehow found a way to mesh your two personalities in life and find something beautiful and peaceful.  To me, that's incredibly inspiring and I can't thank you enough for your message that you conveyed in "I". 

Every single day, not just on your birthday, I've learned to appreciate you.  You've done so much for your fans and all you ask in return is for us to stay by you.  Well, Kim Taeyeon, I want you to know that I will always be here.  I'll always stay loyal to you no matter what trials come your way, I will always listen and buy every single song you put out, I will always watch shows you star in (mainly because I love seeing your smile and hearing your laugh), and most importantly, I will love you.  

Kim Taeyeon, thank you for inspiring me.  You're an incredible friend to your members and other idols, you're an amazingly talented performer, you're extremely humble... I could go on and on.  Thank you for everything you do.  Thank you for always being yourself.  I wouldn't want it any other way.  I love you, human paper.  Happy Birthday. 

“From now on I will be loving more and more and I don’t think it will ever turn less.” — Kim Taeyeon

“When singing, you need performing skills and a bit of imagination. You have to treasure the emotions, and to not deviate from the color of the song while pouring your heart into it.” — Kim Taeyeon

“If there’s something you want to do, then that means you have a goal. But that goal may change as you live. You never know when your interests may change direction, so always anticipate it, day by day.” — Kim Taeyeon

Author's note:  This was inspired by the birthday messages Soshified normally does.  I wanted to write my own letter for Taeyeon even though she may never read it.  I just wanted people to know how much of an inspiration she's been to me in the past year.  I'm so thankful for her existence.