Andrew Strauss' rush of relief was plain for all to see after scoring his first Test century in 18 months.
Strauss' 20th Test hundred, and his fifth on his home ground at Lord's, is only his second in his last 51 attempts.
The England captain insisted there was no particular sense of vindication in "getting a monkey off his back" and silencing those who have increasingly questioned his Test future.
The bigger picture nonetheless dictates that his unbeaten 121, from 249 balls, not only puts England in control after day two of the first Investec Test against the West Indies but cements his own role once again in charge of the world's best team.
"Vindication is not the way I look at the game," said Strauss, who shared a second-wicket stand of 147 with Jonathan Trott in a stumps total of 259 for three.
The hosts are therefore already 16 runs to the good in the first innings, with massive power to add.
Strauss' well-being is assured again too.
"Obviously, having not scored a hundred for a while, there was a bit of pressure on me to go out there and get some runs for the lads," he added.
"The last 15 runs or so were quite hard work mentally, because I hadn't been there for a while.
"It was a great feeling of relief to finally get those three figures. It was a really special moment - a great ovation, and one of the more special hundreds I've scored, definitely.
"That's what I'm employed to do, to get runs for the team, and my output hasn't been quite as high as I would have liked over the last 12 months or so."
Strauss' hundred was not a thing of great beauty, but a triumph of shot selection and determination on a slow pitch under persistently cloudy skies.
"Mentally, I suppose it's just a bit tougher when you're searching for a hundred," he added.
"When you've scored a few recently, it's a bit easier. So to get over that line was a great feeling."
Strauss saw no parallel, however, with the career-saving 177 he made in New Zealand more than four years ago - after an even longer barren run.
"The Napier one, I was standing right on the edge of a precipice there," he said.
"I needed to get runs that game; otherwise, it was P45 time.
"I didn't think I was in that situation today. But it's always nice to get a bit of a monkey off your back."
There were only two moments of obvious concern for Strauss - when he was dropped at slip off a Fidel Edwards no-ball on 95, and then being engulfed by his third-wicket partner Kevin Pietersen's muscular embrace by way of celebrating three-figures.
"He's obviously been working out in India! He's put on a bit of strength," Strauss said of Pietersen, who returned only at the start of this month from his Twenty20 exploits with Delhi Daredevils.
There was a smile in his voice too, as he recalled that scrape in the 90s.
"I just heard the call, opened the face ...!
"Yes, moments like that, you probably think someone up there is looking after you."
