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Happiness, getting wound up This week, you’re hunting for your support for ‘Poor Jen’… about Theresa May and showing

BECAUSE I ’ M HAPPY

I read every word of

(25 July), by Alix O’neill, nodding with increasing vigour as I went along. I’m a happiness hunter – a guilt-free, relaxed seeker of a joyful life. But I wasn’t always. Twelve years ago I was a workaholic with a permanent headache from grinding my teeth in my stressed-out sleep, when I managed to get any. I had degrees coming out of my ears and a six-figure salary, yet I was so unhappy. When my father died, I realised my time with my mother might be less than I thought. I resigned and spent the next four years (that was all my mother had left, although we didn’t know it) laughing, drinking coffee and taking day trips with her and my friends, many of whom I’d almost lost because of my work. Yes, I was broke. The nice car went and I ebayed my clothes and possessions to raise money to live on (the first things to go were my suits!). But I remember every chat and outing I had with my mum, and I smile.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Ah yes, the mystery of the 40-something, childless singleton ( Hallelujah! It’s the end of ‘Poor Jen’, 25 July). At times, I almost feel sorry for coupled individuals as they desperately try to back-pedal out of the usual ‘So when do the kids break up?’ ‘What does your husband do?’ questions. At a recent school reunion, I was asked by a very drunk woman, ‘Have you really never been in a serious relationship?’ On the bright side, you automatically have the gift of invisibility. I’ve been to functions where the official photographer will get every couple in the room but not even see me. Maybe singletons aren’t as photogenic? Weddings, christenings, Christmas – all conspire to light up the single person in neon flashing lights. On the plus side, you find an inner strength to get through. Being at peace with what you want (or find yourself with) takes gumption – you have to be stronger, by desire or necessity. While I may always be the ‘elephant’ in the room, my hope is that the world does not make me feel less of myself.

Name withheld

Thank you for publishing the ‘Poor Jen’ article, brilliantly stating that women are complete with or without a mate and with or without children. I felt a real connection with your writer. Like Hannah, I too am 45, single and child-free. I do, sometimes, hope I will have a baby, but am generally happy with my life choices. And being single and child-free has been a choice. Early in my career, I saw too many woman written off because they had a baby. Of course, there were exceptions and I now know that becoming a mother does not always mean career suicide. However, too often women are held back; not hired and not promoted when men’s parental status is deemed irrelevant. That is why we need women of influence like Jennifer Anniston speaking out and magazines like Grazia reporting it. Name withheld

hail the ‘bloody difficult woman’,

25 July). You have a duty to present both sides of the story of her climb to power. To make matters worse, The Brief Sheet attempted to portray the Cameron family as some wonderful fairy story; immediately followed by a good old dig at the Labour Party and their current leadership battle – ‘results in September (if anybody is still standing)’. More

FAIR POINT

Really, Grazia? Was referring to the ‘Queen of England’ a joke in Pippa’s engagement sparks the ‘Spencer problem’