I think one of the key things to remember about human beings is their optimism and their faith. For example, in America, you have a country filled from sea to shining sea with people in the food service industries all of them convinced that a person can somehow make a drinkable cup of tea using only a) a teabag and b) a cup and c) a container holding water that was once reasonably hot. They bring me these three ingredients proudly, convinced that somehow I'll be able to combine them in a way that will produce a drinkable cup of tea.
And in a credit to my own optimism and faith, I keep trying. Haven't succeeded yet, of course. But still. It makes you proud to be human.
Which probably bubbled into my mind because Terry Pratchett and I were talking about Crowley and Aziraphale over dinner the other night and wondering what they'd been up to ("...on the South Downs? You really think so?"). It was very pleasant, honestly, like catching up with news of old friends.
