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In the minutes, hours, days and weeks after having my children. I was 42 and 45. There’s nothing like new life.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 September 2018 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
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Una Stubbs
British actress, television personality, and dancer
When I am painting.
Matt Goss
English singer-songwriter
At 37 Crawford Road in Camberwell, London. My mother had separated from my father and we had nothing, but I remember roast potatoes, twopence in the gas meter and music. It was the only time in my life when I felt at home.
Michael Morpurgo
British children's writer
When I was a young father and teaching at a local primary school in Kent.
Sofie Gråbøl
Danish actress
Most recently, going to a 1D concert at Wembley with my nine-year-old daughter. Seeing her dream becoming real. The highlight was meeting a nice man in the elevator when it was over, who gave her Harry's autograph. Turned out to be his dad. To my daughter that was like meeting the archangel Gabriel.
More from Patricia Hodge
View profile →The Queen. Her like has not been seen before and I doubt it will ever be again.
A ballet dancer, but it changed to being an actress when I got put in a school play.
Two days ago, at a family wedding, remembering Richard, my cousin. He was 11 months younger than me and we were brought up like brother and sister for the first four years of our lives. He died of a brain tumour when he was 55.
I wish I could say sorry to my husband, because I couldn’t save him from his dementia.
Not applying myself enough at school.
Not having four children.
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