Always look on the bright side of life
So sang the unfortunates tied to their crucifixes in Monty Python’s Life of Brian movie – a satire about religious extremism and political ideology. It’s a song worth whistling when you’re feeling low. And there’s plenty to feel low about in the world right now. The interminable saga that is Brexit, Trumpian dystopia, rioting yellow vests in Paris (and elsewhere in Europe), Venezuela’s crippled economy and stratospheric inflation, drowning refugees, catastrophic wildfires in Australia and California – I could go on. Nowhere on the planet is immune – not even down here in little old New Zealand.
So at the risk of behaving like an ostrich, I like to keep things on an even keel by countering the unending negativity with a little ‘positivity’. Finding examples isn’t hard.
Consider the extraordinary interaction between the lady swimmer and the orcas off the Coromandel’s Hahei Beach in December – the TV footage suggests a friendly, cross-species rapport, the sublimity of the moment accentuated by the difference in size. A remarkable encounter that can’t but force you to feel good about life.
I’m also galvanised by the news that there are likely to be additional teams for the 2021 America’s Cup – and the impetus that this will add to the transformation of Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter and the eyesore that is the tank farm.
It’s difficult not to feel energised and uplifted by the Virtual Reality technology the Sir Peter Blake Trust is using to educate schoolchildren (and adults) about the parlous state of the Hauraki Gulf’s marine life – a clever, imaginative way of exposing future generations of boaties and anglers to the need for conservation.
And everyone will surely celebrate the news that Ida – a 123-yearold example of New Zealand’s yacht-building prowess in the closing years of the 19th century – has finally returned home and will be restored to her former glory.
May you have a sunny, festive holiday break, cherish the family time, and always look on the bright side of life.
Happy boating.