Dear Shonda Rhimes

I'm reading a book. Actually I read A LOT of books. Like usually 2-5 at a time. But my present favorite is this:

I learned of this book while looking through Instagram search results for #introvertedextrovert (that's me btw). I don't know what to do with all the joy, the tears, and the laughter that this book brings out for me! 😊☺️🤣😭I want to share my gratitude with Ms Rhimes, but I don't know how to get a message to her. Instead I will just share my feelings openly here and let the universe feel my love. 🙏🏽

Dear Shonda Rhimes,

"Year of Yes" is one of my favorite books EVER. I kid you not. Never in my life have I found another being so like me, in you. It's like you have been inside of my head! Do you know how odd it is to read your own story, written out by someone else, and they tell it even better than you could say it yourself? It is weird...and amazing.

The only reason I am having this amazing experience of gasping out loud, smiling, laughing and then crying tears of relating and joy as I read your book is because you made a decision, took action, and stopped hiding who you were. You decided to try saying "yes" to life for a while, and it changed everything. You are now sharing all of your glorious inner shenanigans and craziness. Revealing that which you formerly worked so hard to hide is bringing joy to similar folks like me. 🙏🏽You are making me feel not so crazy and not so alone in my former hiding, and I'm incredibly grateful for you being you.

I had a transformative experience in the summer of 2014 as well and my life has been forever changed. (See...summer of 2014 just like when your transformation began. I'm telling you our paths are oddly parallel!) My details were different, but very similar life changing effects. I too know that it's a slippery slope back to living again in the "can goods closet" and so I persist living out loud. Alive and vibrant, daring to be my full self.

I've never watched an episode of Grey's Anatomy (yet), but I'm incredibly heart-swellingly-grateful for the experience of reading your words in this book.

Ever grateful,
Me

(Image credit Shonda Rhimes)