21 Comments
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Simply Sian's avatar

What a sensitive expression of self acceptance. I appreciate you sharing your journey and am feeling challenged by a reunion with my self.

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Lynn Tammadge's avatar

Such a beautiful piece, perfectly authentic too. Thanks so much for sharing this, it’ll stay with me. 🙂

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Matthew Sutcliffe's avatar

That's such a lovely, kind thing to hear, Lynn. Thank you.

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

You are a very rambunctious 70 to say the least. Congrats. You are feisty. Don’t ever stop.

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Matthew Sutcliffe's avatar

I looked up "rambunctious", just to make sure.

(adjective informal, mainly North American English)

uncontrollably exuberant; boisterous: a rambunctious tyke.

(Merriam-Webster adds the qualifier "... to a point")

mid-19th century: of unknown origin.

All three statements feel admirably suitable for me; I have adopted the word on my LinkedIn profile banner already.

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Zoë Streeter's avatar

Wonderful. I shall remind myself to give thanks for me - "without all of you and all that you have

been, there would be no me to give thanks and revel in this

day."

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Matthew Sutcliffe's avatar

How good to hear! I have this idea that age is definitely not a number (or a word) - something that we pass through on our way to being older. It is a cumulative thing. At my age I am, now, every age I have ever been.

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Lynn Tammadge's avatar

Ok, so now we have two perfect quotes to take forward into our own lives ‘for so long I have wanted so much less,’ - apologies if I’ve misquoted, it’s from my unreliable memory! And now this ‘at my age I am, now, every age I have ever been.’ What a wonderful way to put it and it makes sense of so much too!

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Matthew Sutcliffe's avatar

remembered perfectly! Thank you for that as well as this.

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Ana-Maria Ignat-Berget's avatar

So beautiful, Matthew!

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Matthew Sutcliffe's avatar

Thanks so much, Ana-Maria.

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Arnaly Arriaga Blanco's avatar

My dear Matthew, I finally had a chance to read your letter and I am fascinated with it. It’s such a wonderful trip inside your mind. I feel privileged to have you as my friend and colleague. Can I call you that? 😁

Thank you for this fantastic piece of you.

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Matthew Sutcliffe's avatar

I’m happy you’ve read it, and thank you for your response here.

This means a lot, especially coming from you.

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Rachel BB's avatar

Thank you for sharing this, it is beautiful in its honesty and transparency. A real pleasure to read.

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Matthew Sutcliffe's avatar

Thank you, Rachel.

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Aoibhín's avatar

This is simpy beautiful. You have taken us all to a deeper part of you. Younger...? Older...? Honest, kind, vulnerable. Thank you Matthew. It was a privilege to read these words.

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Matthew Sutcliffe's avatar

Thank you Aoibhín. Much appreciated. Good to share the writing time with you this evening also. I’ll make a writer of me yet.

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Audrey Marie Keel's avatar

Dear me, Matthew.

This is gorgeous...

I really loved your metaphor and where you took it. I was taken by this piece...

It's my favorite of yours, thus far.🫶🏻

Keep going.

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Matthew Sutcliffe's avatar

Aw, thank you Audrey! That means much.

I shall definitely keep going!

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Josie Rashmi Smith's avatar

brave and straight from the heart. Love it, Matthew.

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Matthew Sutcliffe's avatar

So kind, Josie. It might have been truly brave had an allowed any thinking time; if I had I’d never have written it, let alone published!

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