Jennifer Aniston marked her 55th birthday in a heartwarming and introspective manner, taking to Instagram to share a montage of new and old photos and videos.
Accompanied by Stanley Kunitz’s profound poem, The Layers, the Friends actress captioned her post with a simple message: “Grateful ❤️🙌🏼”.
The poem chosen by Aniston delves into themes of transformation, resilience, and the acceptance of life’s ever-changing nature. Lines such as “I have made myself a tribe out of my true affections, and my tribe is scattered!” and “Live in the layers, not on the litter” echo the actress’s journey through the highs and lows of her own life.
Fans and celebrity friends flooded the comments section with well-wishes and admiration for the beloved actress. Gwyneth Paltrow expressed her affection, stating, “Could not love you more. Happy happy, you gorgeous human being!”
Fellow actress Florence Pugh added her birthday wishes, calling the video “beautiful” and sending warm regards on Aniston’s special day. Sarah Hyland chimed in with a heartfelt, “Happy birthday mama!!!!!”
In a touching detail, Aniston incorporated audio from user @eviewhy titled “the thing about birthdays” into her video montage, adding another layer of depth to her birthday reflections.
It’s been a difficult few years for Aniston. In November 2022, her father, John Aniston, died at 89. Then in October 2023, her Friends co-star, Matthew Perry, died from acute effects of ketamine, according to his autopsy. He was 54.
Aniston attended the funeral along with her Friends co-stars, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and Courteney Cox. Last month, Aniston spoke with 460aprokoat the Critics Choice Awards about the best way to honor Perry.
“Celebrate him,” she said.
