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Good read. I don’t know if this works - I’ve tweaked your concluding paragraph. I love sports analogies - my son’s coach after the team won a School Boys Football Cup after 49 years made a memorable speech - in expressing his pride in these 18 year-old lads he reminded them they have demonstrated they have all the skills for success in anything they turn their hands to: discipline (their regular attendance to training sessions), hard work (their giving it 100% at training and in matches), and their teamwork (their mutual encouragement and willingness to share the ball on the pitch rather than seek individual glory).

As President Truman said, ‘it’s amazing what can be accomplished when one is not focused on who gets the credit.’

Apologies in advance for bastardising your lovely writing!: ‘The happiest nations in this world are generally the ones that mix exceptional individuality with exceptional teamwork successfully. For every nation gifted with a leader with the ability to articulate a national purpose, he/she usually also possesses two or three (million) unassuming citizens whose become willing to work for the greater good. Their unseen running, tackling, tireless sweat and selflessness is the heavy spade work that allows a leader the freedom to create and implement policies so he might ensure his people flourish. The talented in the most successful nations never, ever forget this humbling truth. The ones who do forget - who put themselves and their interests first - usually find themselves in unhappy nations as self sacrifice is only worthwhile if everyone is pouring their efforts and ego into the greater good and beating heart of their collective benefit (strong cultural identity). Too many self-promoters and the country doesn’t work. Too many feeding off the the teet of the government and the nation doesn’t thrive either. Successful countries as with successful lives are all about recognising we all wear the same jersey (same cultural identity) and we should be pulling in the same direction, finding that balance between a life of service to each other (love thy neighbour) and not tolerating that which is inconsistent with a nation’s customs, values and goals.

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Love this Kristi!

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Personally I think youse were robbed:) as a lesson in life who knows? Jesus is the only one I'm following but oh I'm so glad for companionship along the way! As for a successful team, our Lord said in my vine are many branches. We just need to remain in Him, he'll guide is to the end.

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"The remaining question is how many people will die before the new world emerges and whose tune will humanity be dancing to when that time comes". This is the gist of what I think but is, of course, far better expressed by you. I wish so much that I knew my children will be ok....at least from the injection point of view. They resisted so strongly and made many personal sacrifices. I don't want that to have been in vain. A person must have reasonable health to thrive. The passing if the law in NZ that will allow physically enforced vax and the trialling of the new vax passport in some European countries in the autumn makes my blood run cold😭. I hope and pray that God hasn't actually forsaken us🙏.

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Just on your last line. I don't think he's forsaken us. We usually do fall into that ourselves.

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100% agree to all that and spot on analysis of football as well , so keep fucken emailing me this stuff Gerry 😂. One of many things I find odd about people down south is their antipathy to people up North. I was watching the Kerry Armagh game in a pub in Westmeath and to a man they were all for Kerry who were probably on their 1,000th All Ireland 😂. Same with Galway Armagh. Same with Rory McIlroy if he's losing in the Golf and there all over Lowry. Yet these same people go on about hating the Brits and see themselves as ticking every republican box. Cant understand the mentality. As a Leitrim man, I've always thought northern people are the soundest people u could meet.

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Crazy mentalisticaldamnfooks!

When truly, all we require is - L O V E ! ! !

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Thanks Seanie. I never heard anyone in Galway shouting for Kerry in my life unless it was vs the Dubs!!! I think Mcilroy has a little of the only child syndrome never a big fan but undoubtedly one of the most prodigious talents the island has very produced.

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