In a striking departure from the deep pessimism that defined the first half of the decade, Sri Lanka has crossed a historic psychological threshold. The latest Mood of the Nation poll, released yesterday by independent think-tank Verité Research, provides empirical evidence of a considerable shift in the national consciousness. For the first time since the poll’s inception four years ago, a clear majority of Sri Lankans (59%) express satisfaction with the “way things are going” in the country.