Today is Waitangi day; New Zealand’s national day. For the Australians reading, it’s a lot like Australia day. It’s a public holiday, people celebrate with barbeques, drinking, gatherings or take advantage of the long weekend to go away camping or to the bach. It’s also a day guaranteed to be filled with political scuffles and issues raised loudly in protest.  

I’m not suggesting that these issues are not valid and should not be raised and heard and addressed, I just wish that Waitangi day and Australia day could be the one day each year that everyone could put aside their gripes, shake hands with the neighbour, crack open a coldy, eat outdoors off the BBQ, listen to some good tunes and just be thankful that we live in such a wonderful part of the world. We are the lucky ones. Raise your glass and your flag to that.