There’s a scene in the movie LadyBird where Christine says “I guess I pay attention” and Sister Sarah Joan replies, “Don’t you think maybe they are the same thing? Love and attention?”

Let me tell you something about Kaitlyn. This woman pays attention. To your interests, to your well-being, to moments in your life that she insists on filming because she knows you’ll want to remember them. She does it in a way that feels effortless, as if to denounce the sheer possibility of an existence in which those things could ever go unnoticed.

Kaitlyn is the coolest person I know and I’m not talking about the bullshit type of cool that’s cold and pretentious and boring. She’s actually fucking cool. Kaitlyn unapologetically indulges in things that bring her joy, creating joy around her because her passion and excitement is endlessly contagious and inviting. She makes you feel you are 6 feet tall (even if you are only 4’10). More importantly, Kaitlyn makes you feel like the universe is ever expanding, like not only is there room for you, but there is an abundance of space for all the things you are going to do and become. She roots for you until you believe in yourself as much as she does.

Being friends with Kaitlyn is like when you are returning from a long road trip and everything around you starts to look familiar and you can turn off your GPS because you finally know where you’re going. It is the sigh of relief you let out because you know you’re almost home. I love you Kaitlyn. I love your creativity, I love your wit, I love your warmth. I don’t know what 25 is going to look like for you and I sure as fuck don’t know what it’s gonna look like for me in a couple years, but whatever we end up doing and wherever we end up going, because of you, I know we’re going to make it. Happy birthday my dear friend.