Thought For The Day #5

Broadcast 22nd of July 2013 on BBC Radio Bristol

Can there be anything more different in the universe than the description of drinking a cup of tea and the actual experience of the hot infusion on your taste buds? Although the two things are related, thinking about Earl Grey compared to sipping it, is not just in a different league, it’s an entirely different sport altogether.

British sportspeople think a lot about winning things, but traditionally that hasn’t always translated into actual trophies. Yet we’ve had another weekend of sporting success. First it was the tennis and rugby, now it’s cycling and cricket. Yes, this isn’t a dream, we are actually winning things!

What makes the taste of these successes all the more delicious are the number of times we’ve failed. We know all too well that participation far from guarantees glory. Yet, as the saying goes, ‘you have to be in it to win it’. I could never satisfactorily describe the taste of the great British cuppa to the uninitiated. Nor could I ever win the Tour de France from the comfort of my own imagination.

It’s striking how our recent victories contrast with the spin and hot air of party political promises. They might as well be reading the blurb from the back of a box of Tetleys. I’m sorry but I’d rather you stop talking, put the kettle on and just made me a cup of tea. We are still in awful economic times and scoring few financial goals. Yet I take heart that some of us Brits are declaring it loud and clear, that actions speak louder than words.