Mass Celebrations

I am an inveterate sports fan. It's horrible to see, really it is. My chronic condition of choice.

I once stood out on an icy evening in a windy square in the City of London with an old friend next to one of those plastic ice rinks. The rink had two teams of bankers playing Broomball. No, I have no idea what it is either but it looked like fun.

Having chosen a team each, we spent the best part of an hour drinking very cold beers -- the English winter is good for something -- while cheering on our respective sides as well as betting on who would score the next goal. At the time it seemed like a diverting way to spend some time with a mate. In retrospect it is a small part of the larger arc of the story of our friendship.

This morning I woke up and stuck on a replay of the Wales v Austria match as I drank my morning tea and got on with some work. The game finished 2-1 and it felt like the fans stayed in the stadium for an hour afterwards, singing along to pop music including one in Spanish, I'm not sure many were fluent, and another that had no words at all.

It sounded a bit of a mess as you can imagine but then I thought how amazing it was. 30,000 people singing together with no song sheet and no practice or rehearsal time. A collective outpouring of joy, celebration and gratitude.

If you would like to send a message of joy, celebration or gratitude to someone you can either put a message up on our Facebook group or go to our website. If you would like us to set up a Thanking Wall for your organisation please either email us at info@thankandpraise.com.au or call us on +61 451 591 236.

Finally, a big thanks to David Kiddie for the use of the video. COYS!