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Time & hindsight

What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy?

577 answers answered between 1930 and 2026 one of 25 in The Q&A

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.

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Public figures who have answered a question like this elsewhere. Quoted from the source shown, not written for FLAPSS.

Read by field Everyone Science and medicine 4 Arts and letters 487 Politics and public life 37 Business and finance 19 Sport 30
Read by age Any age Before thirty 25 In their thirties 83 In their forties 113 In their fifties 109 In their sixties 100 Seventy and beyond 77
Order Earliest first Most recent Surprise me
Ed Balls British broadcaster and politician
In a pool this summer with the children.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 November 2008 source ↗
Zoë Heller English journalist and novelist
Sending off the final draft of my latest novel.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 November 2008 source ↗
Kirsty Young Scottish television radio presenter
Running down a hill in midsummer sunshine aged eight, singing ELO's Mr Blue Sky.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 30 January 2010 source ↗
Clare Balding English broadcaster, journalist, TV presenter and author
This may sound nauseating, but I am a very happy person. I love my work, I love my life and I'm told by those who know/love me that it's a bit like living with Tigger. Bloody annoying, I should think.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 15 January 2011 source ↗
Sarah Brown British Anglican priest
Lots of times, mostly all connected to Gordon and my children.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 12 March 2011 source ↗
Sally Bercow British public personality
When I hit 40. I made a lot of mistakes in my 20s and spent most of my 30s changing nappies.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 August 2011 source ↗

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