Life can be hard and uncompromising or even downright painful. But sometimes it gives you happiness mixed with anxiety just like eating a chocolate with a sour coating, it tastes sour at the onset all the while making you want to spit it out but you hang on because you know the sweet part is coming.  And when it does, nothing can be as tastier.

Thinking of chocolates reminds me of why I am writing this, our beloved Liverpool FC. These last few years (especially under the one whose face  resembles an owl, isn't it?) have been downright sour but we knew the sweet part would come. All these years we had that feeling of disbelief and even disgust at times. Nobody knew when this would go away but we all knew it was somewhere there lurking behind the dark clouds. Now the days of owls and whiskey are over, the days of Chihuahuas and laughter are here. The sweet in the chocolate has finally broken past the layers and layers of sourness; we have finally managed to wade our way through disbelief, angst into the world of cheer and oneness.

The journey has been taxing and testing to say the least. It wasn't just a test of faith but also patience. Some days we were bombarded with missiles of the spoken kind and on the other we got missiles of deflated football. There was despair everywhere we looked, on the pitch and off it. On those days many would have thought of abandoning the ship for it was making us miserable. There were things we could control and some we couldn't. We did our best by voicing our concerns and overthrowing the regime but nearly fell in the process. We were being harried by our friends in schools, colleges and work as well and then by other teams on the pitch. It felt like being bashed from all sides possible, to the extent imaginable. Doors were shut, mind learned to ignore and we learnt a lot more about everything in life. As they say the worst of times teaches you the best of lessons.  Most endured by staying because we have some values and beliefs which we hold dear to our heart. The same values which gives this great club its identity and sets it apart from every other in the whole world. We sang, we shouted our lungs out and walked on through it all.

Lo and behold!  Here we are, in the last week of April in 2014, scratching our heads and thinking; is this really happening or are we in some alternate universe where we are Fowler. The sheer belief and support seems to be working again, I wonder if it was lost or was it stained? The ride in these last few weeks can be likened to being inside a washing machine. We all are washing away the Hodges and Hicks of our dented souls, one week at a time. Those days are being soaked in water of pure spirit and motivation, one week at a time. Those days are being washed away by the soap of passion and determination, one week at a time.  Now we can see and feel those stains have nearly gone down the drain. We are almost there, that silver lining we sang and dreamt about is nearly here. Very near indeed, the dirt of yesteryears is on its way out and something that was hidden beneath is ready to shine and sparkle. A few twists and turns, bitten nail and spilt beer, and as the machine dial says a few more rinse cycles; we shall get there.
Hold your breath because we are still inside the machine and as the man himself said  WE GO AGAIN

WASH.. RINSE.. REPEAT.. Just a few more times and we are free.