So in the Seventies, England failed to qualify twice in a row. The Seventies were a time of epic fashion, food, and World Cup football fails. But what did we do? Did we revert to our pre-1950 attitude of refusal to participate? No. We kept on keeping on, and trying, and we still do despite the fact that we haven’t necessarily had the most stellar success in the past thirty years.
Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.
African Proverb
For England, and in life generally, setbacks are temporary, and in fact motivate us to do better. Every four years we hope for a repeat of ‘66, and we’ll keep going ad infinitum.
When you have kids, it can seem like a never ending cycle of good times and bad times, lasting from several minutes to several days. Being a parent is never easy, and sometimes you’ll feel that you can’t cope with another splattered dinner or another strop at a shop. But know that spending time with your kids is never a waste, and that if they remember you as being dependable and always hoping for the best, then it’ll all be worth it!