This is 29!! — BEAU SOCIETY issue #064

28 was wild, beautiful, humbling, and full of the kind of moments that sneak up and change you quietly.

Yesterday was my 29th birthday, and like most birthdays, it made me all sentimental and mushy inside. Some of my best friends flew out to Buffalo for the first time. We stayed up chatting until 3 in the morning, played games, went four-wheeling through the snow (got stuck, had to call my brother to tow us out of the mud - thank God for him), and lost our voices, screaming at the top of our lungs as you know who did you know what. How lucky are we that we get to grow older? 28 was wild, beautiful, humbling, and full of the kind of moments that sneak up and change you quietly. This year, I’ve been reminded of how precious life is. I’ve surprised myself in a thousand different ways. Sometimes (many times), laughter saved the day. Other times, I found peace in simplicity: cooking breakfast with Josh, sinking into the perfect nighttime and morning routines, and talking to friends who see me clearly. This year, my work challenged me and rewarded me. Stepping into new projects felt like stepping into new versions of myself. I found creativity in unexpected places, like childhood memories and late-night conversations. I found clarity in asking myself what I really want.

And now, as I step into my 29th year as a softer, stronger version of myself, I want to appreciate some of my favorite moments from this year, both big and small.

1. My first-ever college football game: Laramie, Wyoming.

2. Pulling an all-nighter with mom the night after the Sinners premiere in London to make it to my first wedding dress fitting.

3. Absolutely crushing our Thanksgiving this year with a homemade cheesecake among other hits.

4. Standing by our entryway window, watching the snow fall.

5. Standing next to one of my best friends, who I love so much, on her wedding day.

6. Stargazing at one in the morning on top of Mauna Kea.

7. That surreal end-of-table moment when you look out at all the people you love who somehow managed to be in the same place at the same time.

8. Sweating through tough FaceTime workouts with my dad across the country.

9. Knowing in my bones that what’s meant for me won’t miss me.

10. The day we found our wedding venue.

11. Girls trips.

12. Therapy, consistently.

13. Feeling the magic of Sinners continue to captivate people as much as it has captivated me.

14. Jumping into a recording studio again — and realizing how much I’d missed it.

15. Hearing, “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Allen.”

16. Late-night life conversations with my brother.

17. Sometimes, going out when it would be easier to stay in.

18. Becoming a person who actually enjoys (some kinds of) sushi.

19. The feeling of being a beginner.

20. Launching Angel Margarita.

21. Setting boundaries, even when it’s hard, especially when it’s hard.

22. Writing every day, even when it’s hard, especially when it’s hard.

23. Waking up to the pitter-patter of Teenie and Brando’s paws on the hardwood floor.

24. Thinking less in black-and-white.

25. Realizing that privacy in your personal life is so sacred.

26. Reading more, scrolling less.

27. Cheering on my friends as they build incredible lives.

28. Opening up more of myself in these letters.

29. This video…

Love,
Hailee
(Beau)