With all the doom and gloom in the media, the ongoing midslinging of candidates before a general election, and the general day-to-day activities of an economy struggling to come out of a recession, what a breath of fresh air the Chilean miner rescue has been.

Here’s a case where what would have been certain death for these men just a few years ago has been transformed into a successful rescue and celebration that is being watched my hundreds of millions of people around the world.

Furthermore, the complex, difficult rescue mission has been put together by an international team that only considered how best to save the lives of the men underground. Modern technology not only allowed these men to come out alive, in good spirits, and seemingly quite healthy–it allowed us to be a part of their rescue and their lives, even as the Phoenix capsule was lifted and lowered into the mine.

In spite of all the politicians, the many crises and issues faced on local, national and international levels, and after the long frustrating cleanup of the BP Gulf oil spill, this is a clear case of goodwill, ingenuity and hard work coming together in triumph.

The good guys won one today and we are all the better for it.