You just can't please some people . . .

As you will see from the masses of photographs in the Chronicle of May 24 this has been an extraordinary week where a single event, the Olympic Torch Relay, brought the city together in a wonderful, moving show of unity.


It was the sort of event that very rarely happens as the whole community was drawn together having been all attracted by the feeling that this was something significant, something important and something that can only be seen in a positive light.

Well, when I say ‘all’....

For remarkably, even though I genuinely thought this was something everyone would get excited above, clearly not everybody has done.

As one prime close-to-home example my own son was literally minutes away from where the torch would pass but I just couldn’t enthuse him to go and watch it. And I have since heard of other people who wouldn’t have looked out the window if the torch passed through their front garden.

So it did get me wondering if there is actually anything that would unite everyone in positivity. And do you know what, I don’t think there actually is.

For example, the appearance of the torch was also at the same time as the much-delayed arrival of the sun.

After weeks of rain that at times seemed so intense that I’m sure many of us were considering building an ark and searching for paired-up animals, the sun gloriously re-appeared as if to make sure the torch relay through our patch had the best possible backdrop.

So surely the sun is a lovely, universally appreciated thing? Alas, not.

I went onto Facebook briefly on Tuesday night and found a comment from one of my friends that said “so the sun’s already been out two days – and I’m sick of it”.

Had this been an ironic comment, I would have just seen it for what it was, but I know he actually meant it – and I know he’s not alone either.

So, therefore, if neither the beaming sun nor the colourful Olympic Torch Relay can unite, it does make you ponder if there’s anything that is guaranteed to make us all look in the same positive direction.

The answer I think is ‘no’ because human nature is just not like that.

I’m fairly certain that if it was declared tomorrow that every day, as Wizzard wished it to be, was Christmas Day, that a whole swathe of people would be angry at missing out on their cherished Boxing Day. And, furthermore, I’m sure there would be somebody, somewhere who if offered a substantial Lottery win, would instead of grabbing the cheque, just shake their head miserably and say things like “I suppose that means I’m going to be inundated with begging letters . .. ”

I think it all comes down to the fact that while most of us would regard being optimistic about life as an absolute pre-requisite, not everybody feels the same. I am, as I hope by now you will have gathered, a wildly optimistic person and frankly I think I have more fun for so being.

Bah humbug? No, bar the pessimists I say!