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I hope the happiest moment is still ahead of me.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 July 2023 source ↗
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.
Others on this question
View all 577 →
David Arquette
American actor, producer, & former professional wrestler
With time and experience you figure stuff out, so I am happiest right now.
Ray Mears
British woodsman and TV presenter
Right now. I live in the present.
Joely Richardson
British actress
At work, my happiest moments are between “action” and “cut”. I am also very happy when justice is done, and when camping.
At each of my sons’ weddings.
More from Pauline McLynn
View profile →I talk over people all the time.
Walking along Oxford Street on Saturday pulling a shopping trolley that my mother bought me. I remember saying, “I’m never going to use that!” and there I was, very grateful to have it in my life. She died before Christmas and I can’t ring her to tell her that she was right.
Actors live in a constant state of disappointment. I’ll never be happy with what I’ve done.
Not being able to breathe – I get very panicky at the thought.
Never be rigid in your thinking, be open.
Eight or nine years ago, I disgraced myself in the Japanese ambassador’s home in Dublin, at a celebration for my late mother-in-law’s book about living in Japan. Afterwards, when I had to apologise, she told me it was the worst night of her life and, because I was drunk enough not to remember the details, it will never not be the most embarrassing night of my life. People are filling in details even now – “Remember when you fell under the table during the first course?”
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