‘Tis the season to be jolly – or so they say. But looking
back over the year, there seem to be very few things to be jolly about.
It’s doom and gloom in the Ghosh household over the looming
uncertainty of Brexit. The husband and I voted Remain – and the prospect of leaving the EU
fills me with dismay. I do understand the reasons why people voted Leave – but
I can’t believe they envisaged the chaos we’re facing now, with a government in
disarray, a withdrawal agreement no-one can agree on, a very real possibility
of crashing out of the bloc with no deal at all, and a bleak economic future as
the impact hits us all in the pocket.
Other standout events of 2018 are equally depressing; earthquakes,
hurricanes, wildfires, school shootings, terror attacks, global warming, the ongoing loss of life in Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan….
The list goes on. And on top of all that, we lost Aretha Franklin.
We journalists tend to see tragedy and crises on a day-to-day basis. But that’s not the
whole picture of course, and Christmas is the perfect time to remind ourselves of that.
So with a nod to festive cheer and goodwill to all men, here are five happier news stories from 2018 to look back on.
1. Thai cave rescue
For eighteen days,
the world watched and waited as divers tried to rescue twelve boys and their
football coach from a flooded cave in Thailand. That they were alive in the
first place was astonishing; that they were all eventually brought out, relatively unscathed, was almost miraculous.
2. Football World Cup
A great tournament, with exciting games, and some unexpected giant-killing as Germany and Argentina went out. France may have won it, but for England fans it was a chance to believe again as their squad got into the semi-finals for the first time since
1990.
3. Royal wedding
Okay, some people could care less about the royals. But I’m including this as a feel-good story because Harry managed to buck tradition and snag himself a gorgeous mixed-race actress.The last time a member of the royal family
fell in love with an American divorcee, it caused a constitutional crisis and an abdication. Look how far we've come, people! Plus, I loved her in Suits.4. Mars exploration
You can't beat a good space story.
This month, for the first time ever, a
scientific instrument was placed on the surface of the Red Planet. NASA’s
Insight Lander put a seismometer on Martian soil to help collect data on the
planet’s core. This will help us understand how planets were formed four
billion years ago. Also in 2018, they discovered an underground lake on the
planet. Geeky, yes, but super-amazing.
5. It's Not Me
What feel-good stories would you include? Comment below.
Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, I wish you a very happy 2019.
