A First For 31 Years.

“Flooding with energy and hope that ultimately, of course, led to misery.” Kevin McCarra, The Guardian.

Prophetic words?

I hope not.

But…

When you really want something THREE months can seem like a long time so 31 years must feel eternal.

However, the quote above comes from someone writing in the context of 44!!

That’s a VERY long eternal.

Mind you I guess between 31 years or 44 there is little difference, you must think it’s NEVER going to happen.

Not in your wildest dreams.

So here’s my question, does that feeling of being flooded with energy “of course” lead to misery?

Is it deception simply unavoidable when we become too attached to an outcome?

Or can it sometimes go our way?

For those who waited 44 years until Sunday past, things turned out pretty well and that, of course, brings us to the French President.

Because there has been a lot of talk around here (I live in France) of the French finally electing a Socialist President after 31 years.

Actually the figures don’t quite add up, as in 1981 France chose Mr Mitterand and he remained president until 1995 - being re-elected once in 1988.

But it’s still been too long.

If you have read this you will know that during the election the villages of France put up boards in the town-square so that each candidate can stick up their poster.

In the first round of the two stage event there are a lot of boards, and then - overnight as the second round begins – all the boards are removed and replaced with two new ones and the remaining contestants get to stick up their posters again.

In the nearby town, for some reason they chose to label these 1 and 2.

When I took this picture I wondered if there was an omen to be read in the order in which the posters went up, but I tried not to get excited.

I’ve been disappointed before…..

I didn’t want to get flooded with energy and hope only to be dashed on the rocks of misery.

I’ve been there and it hurts.

So I ignored the picture, filed it away and went on dreading the final result.

I didn’t rush out when the results came in and celebrate in the city centre as many others did; it’s not my style.

But I feel free enough now to post the picture.

But I’m also experienced enough to know that the evident feeling of energy and hope around here could lead to misery.

And that’s the difference between Mr McCarra and myself – ‘could’....  no t.......  ‘of course’.