Beyonce reflects on turning 40: ‘Absolutely the best I’ve felt in my life’

Queen Bey is crazy in love with turning 40.

A few weeks after celebrating her milestone birthday, Beyonce penned a heartfelt letter on her website Thursday to thank “every inspiring human who took the time to send me all the beautiful [happy birthday] messages.”

She also reflected on how much she’s grown over the past four decades, noting how much she’s enjoying getting more mature.

“This is the first year that I really understand what it means to be alive and to live in the moment. It’s the first time that I have an understanding of how fragile life truly is, how hard life can be at times, and therefore how important it is to stop and smell the roses during the good times,” she wrote.

“I thought I knew that at 21 or 30,” she continued. “But I didn’t.”

The emotional message posted on her website for her fiercely loyal fans — the Beyhive — also addressed how touched she was to receive all the videos, posts, countdowns and playlists in celebration of her big day on Sept. 4.

“I cried tears of joy and was covered in chilly bumps,” the multiple-Grammy-winning artist wrote.

She added that life keeps getting better with time.

“The more mature I become, the more I understand and the deeper my joy grows. There’s a freedom and liberation knowing that I’ve made it to the other side of my sacrifice,” she wrote. “I’m finally giving myself permission to enjoy the seeds I’ve worked so hard to plant my whole life.”

The mother of three feels so empowered by her 40th birthday that she smashed any ideas that life gets harder for women when they reach a certain age.

“Whoever tried to condition women to feel that we are supposed to be old or unhappy when we turn 40 got it ALL THE WAY F’d UP. This has absolutely been the best I’ve felt in my life.”

She added, “I’m so grateful to be GROWN, GROWN!”

The “Black Parade” singer also used the opportunity to reflect on growing up in the public eye.

After releasing her first, self-titled album, as part of Destiny’s Child, Beyonce went on to explode as a solo artist with the release of 2003′s “Dangerously in Love.” Earlier this year, she became the most awarded woman in Grammys history.

“Most of y’all met me when I was 15, and we have grown up together. You bring sooooo much joy into my life. I hope my art can continue to bring a little joy into yours,” she wrote, concluding her message expressing how much she loves her fans.

“I love you deep (repeating the word “deep” 40 times),” she wrote, signing the letter by drawing a bee.