53 Comments
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Sarah Pennick's avatar

My strong, courageous friend. Thank you for inspiring us to be the same for as long as I’ve known you and especially at this time.

Go gently into the festivities now the flu has realised who it is dealing with and begun to retreat. With Christmassy love 🌟

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Mel Erwin's avatar

Happy Christmas wonderful woman! I want to dash and be frantic but… have to stop self! 😉

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Davina Owen's avatar

You are strong. You are courageous. You are in safe hands.

And, you are LOVED. ♥️

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Mel Erwin's avatar

I love you Davina Owen.

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Davina Owen's avatar

Ditto Darling.

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Louise Crowther's avatar

Today my crossfit coach said we need to find gratitude everyday. She said it changes your mindset, it helps you to find the positive in the things you can't change. You do that in abundance Mel. You bring gratitude into everything you write. I hope you and Sarah have a wonderful Christmas 🎄. With much love from my family to yours ❤️

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Mel Erwin's avatar

Ah my love. Thank you. May you have the best Christmas and a truly positive 2025 ✨💫

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Laura Simmons's avatar

Beautiful words. Wishing you only the best xxx

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Mel Erwin's avatar

Thank you Laura. Happy Christmas to you all💚🌲💫

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Stephanie brunton's avatar

Hope your flu has flown and that Christmas can be jolly for you and your family. Sending love

Steph xx

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Mel Erwin's avatar

Thank you Steph! I am so ready to be well! Merry Christmas to you. And thank you for the dancer. ❤️🎁✨💚🎄🌲

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Stephanie brunton's avatar

Oh I hope he is passing on some of his strength to you. We went to see it (swan lake) again last week at Sadlers and it was just as powerful and wonderful as the first time. Xx

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Caroline Chapman's avatar

Your beautiful words must help to instill bravery in so many others. I want to wrap you up in ribbons of love and send this Grinchy, lingering flu away. Absorb the twinkly lights and family love, my dear Mel. I love you X

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Mel Erwin's avatar

My love. I and the woman in the story and finally on the improve! Merry Christmas to you all!!! 💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚

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Jocelyn Bell Daley's avatar

A beautiful piece Mel. Hope your flu is packing its bags. Love to you and yours. ❤️

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Mel Erwin's avatar

It is! I’m ready to step into Christmas. Slowly. Thank you so much for reading dear you. Love to you all! Your adult children!!!

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Julia A's avatar

Mel has an incredible writing style and manages to express the emotions and experiences that folks with stage 4 lung cancer have but is often missed or unseen by even close friends and family. Always worth a read and inspiration to keeping on the journey.

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Mel Erwin's avatar

That’s so kind Julia. Thank you for reading and appreciating the words. My story is so many people’s story. 💙💙

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Layla O'Mara's avatar

thank you for these words Mel, for your courage and for your softness and strength. i hope you've recovered from the dreaded flu.

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Katy Miller's avatar

What a very extraordinary person you are my dear old chum. Who could have imagined that life would bring you to this place and you’d find such power in your mind and your body and your spirit. Thank you for writing.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

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Mel Erwin's avatar

Oh my lovely friend. Thank you for reading. Love spurs me on. 💚

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Jules Walters's avatar

As always, I couldn’t stop reading! Beautiful. Sending so much love! Xx

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Mel Erwin's avatar

Ah thank you so much Julie. Hope you have had a beautiful Christmas! 🎄

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Nadia Miller's avatar

You are courageous. Courageous in sharing and courageous in attitude x and you are in loving hands xx big love

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Mel Erwin's avatar

You too show courage my love… it’s the way of the women! So much love and adventure and newness ahead! ✨✨✨

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Jennifer McCloskey (She/Her)'s avatar

BEAUTIFUL ♥️ Sending so much love 🥰

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Mel Erwin's avatar

Thank you for reading! A very happy merry Christmas to you. 💫✨

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Sarah Jones's avatar

A beautiful and moving read - just like its author. So glad to hear you have kicked the flu into touch and can enjoy the season. Sending so much love from the north to the south for a happy happy Christmas. 💕💕💕

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Mel Erwin's avatar

Thank you so much for reading sweet friend. Happy Christmas to you and all you love. ❤️

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Kat Crowther's avatar

Dearest Mel this is a beautifully written story. Such evocative descriptions of Christmas home making that take us into your space and your heart. I particularly love the shifting interplay between first and third person which suggests to me so much about identity, the randomness of chance, deep love and shared experience. Beautiful and hopeful! Have a wonderful Christmas. Kat xxx

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Mel Erwin's avatar

Why thank you dear friend. Have you read Small things? It’s a treasure. So much love you to you all for Christmas and for 2025. ✨

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Jan Jennings's avatar

Mel, another beautifully written piece. I cried all the way through everything you said resonates with me but you describe it so deeply, I felt those exact feelings too but didn’t realise it at the time. This journey is such a big learning curve thank you,

Jan Jennings (From the group you never want to be part of) ❤️❤️

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Mel Erwin's avatar

Dearest Jan, thank you for your words and am so glad it resonated. I hope the tears release some of the pain so there is space for Christmas sparkle which we so much need.

Happy Christmas to you! ✨✨✨✨

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