I’m ready for either outcome

THIS column is usually written on Monday or Tuesday, to give me time to read emails and letters, as well as write other articles for the Mail.

Generally, I know what I shall write in this space too, the AF section which so many of you tell me you enjoy, because it’s often so personal. Ah, but this week I realised I had to wait until after that tense semi-final against Denmark.

If we’d lost, I’d planned a wise, philosophical piece about how we all have to deal with disappointment, in our relationships, jobs, families, and so on. Because it’s vital, isn’t it? Otherwise setbacks would finish us off.

And after all, one team has to lose, one set of passionate supporters must cry, one coach will be forced to rally the players with, ‘Next time … this is what we’ll have to do . . . ’

But to win! To reach the final against Italy! Aaaagh! Now I’m remembering the dignity and grace of the Ukrainians and the Danes, and suspect those fiery, duck-diving Italians will be a lot rougher in every way, most of them bad.

Prejudice? Yes, obviously I want my team to be victorious and am quite happy to conjure up all my witchy abilities and put a dark hex (Malocchio = evil eye) on our opponents.

And here we come full circle, having to face the possibility of disappointment. I’ve always advised younger people to be ready for the fact that somebody will be horrible to you, or your bolshie teen is bound to make you miserable, or your book/pet project/dream may fail, or it will rain on your picnic/ garden party/wedding (unless you live in Italy!).

‘Be ready for the bad things to jump out on you,’ I’d counsel, ‘and then they won’t take you by surprise.’

So here we go. Tomorrow night my husband and I will be sitting on the sofa with our three little dogs, all cheering and yapping England on. But if we lose, I won’t shed a tear. No, there’s plenty to be proud of, either way.