I know, I know. I have 18k words to write about DragonCon, and I’m writing a birthday post about everyone’s favorite former cheerleader. But I was struck with inspiration today. Is it medicine-fueled? Maybe. Was it born out of the mental ramblings of my morning nap? Probably. Doesn’t make it any less valid. Let’s see if it’s coherent!

I’m not giving anyone any new information when I say Waverly Earp is an amazing character. In a way, she’s all of us. Sure, personally speaking, I look nothing like Waverly, but we have some similar life experiences. We both had a childhood of overachieving, trying to distract everyone from something “bad” in our lives (Waverly — Wynonna, her family, and the Earp curse; me — being queer) with a whole host of perfection.

Growing up, all we wanted was to escape the confines of the narrow-mindedness of our town and find a community; a family who loved us for who we were and thought we were important. People who loved us. Who valued us. Who didn’t think our obsession with TV was weird. Who remembered our birthday.

Well, today is Waverly Earp’s birthday, and I remember. You remember. I have a whole host of Twitter friends who remember…and who get it.

Kaitlyn speaks for all of us, I think, including Waverly. We sought out a community (or stumbled into it, as was the case with me, I sometimes feel like) who embraced us for our differences. Who valued our nerdiness. Who took the thing that we are embarrassed of or ashamed about and, rather than mock it, embraced it and celebrated it.

I see a community of Earpers who have been beaten down in a lot of ways, who have struggled with a lifetime of being expected to be something they’re not. And I see a group of people who are better than they give themselves credit for being. I see writers and graphic designers and hilarious, warm-hearted people who build up instead of tear down. And I see people (myself included) who are moved almost to tears when someone else believes in them and encourages them.

And that’s what Waverly has found with her Black Badge family, with Doc, and with Nicole. With her sister, even though Wynonna maybe doesn’t know her birthday, because at least she knows she’s the Earpiest Earp.

So happy birthday, Waverly. You truly are the best of us. You’ve found a community who adores you back and thinks you’re amazeballs.

Because how could you not?

I see you. Earpers see you. And I think if you were non-fictional, you’d see us right back.