The question
What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy?Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
Asked in 52 of the 131 consecutive instalments of The Guardian's The Q&A harvested on 2026-08-29.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
Before kids, when I was 13 or so, on the back of my horse, running at full speed in an open pasture. Post kids, happiness happens often, but in more subtle ways. I now prefer the word “content”.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 20 May 2017 source ↗
Right now is a pretty good time in my life. I am existing on three-monthly check-ups, but, yeah, I am very grateful.
I am always happiest when I am making my art.
Whenever I’m with my kids.
When I was 16, I’d just won full scholarships to both the Royal Academy and the Royal College of Music, and felt like the world was my oyster.
To strangers. Living in New York, I see individuals every day who are invisible to so many. I want to say sorry that so many of us think their pain and suffering is not our own.
The fact that at least 300,000 women die every year from pregnancy and childbirth-related issues that are largely preventable.
I might speed up a few details, but wouldn’t change anything, other than my dad still being here.
As someone who didn’t waste a minute.
A midwife named Jennie Joseph. She is a tireless activist for women, family health and equal access to quality maternity care.
The birth of my daughter.
Rose Tremain, Ben Kingsley, Floella Benjamin, Olivia Colman, David Shrigley, Siri Hustvedt
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