51 Comments

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 🌟

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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

And, you are LOVED. ♥️

Expand full comment

I love you Davina Owen.

Expand full comment

Ditto Darling.

Expand full comment

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 ❤️

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

Beautiful words. Wishing you only the best xxx

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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

Steph xx

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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!!!

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

BEAUTIFUL ♥️ Sending so much love 🥰

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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. 💕💕💕

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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

Expand full comment

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. ✨

Expand full comment

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) ❤️❤️

Expand full comment

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! ✨✨✨✨

Expand full comment

So eloquent, so moving, so powerful…

Mel you continue to be an inspiration❤️

Sending much love to you , Sarah and your family

Expand full comment

Why thank you dear you! Sending you love and a very happy Christmas. 🌲

Expand full comment