Hijackings! Murder! Violent robbery! Child abuse! Theft and deception on a massive scale - by individuals at home and abroad (think Dictators robbing their people and building palaces for themselves & lodging millions in Swiss bank accounts, CEO'S & Company Directors misleading shareholders in order to increase the value of their shareholdings and boost their takeaway pay - Yuck!).
It's enough to make one feel sad and disillusioned - and then your little granddaughter, not yet three, rushes into the house with her arms outstretched for a hug, calling out "Mick! Mick!"  and your heart lights up and you know the world is beautiful!
It always was of course, and always will be, but sometimes you need a reminder.
This was my little granddaughter a couple of weeks ago, visiting me for a weekend.  A real gift from Heaven.  She lights up my heart and I know for certain the world is beautiful - that there is love and natural goodness.  I see it also in my son Raymond and Audrey, Maya's mother, both struggling creatively to make a living without resort to theft or deception, both beautiful as all honest people are.  Long may their love live.  Long may they know that collectively they lift an old man's heart.
This is Maya, packed away in the back seat of her parents' car, ready to return to Dublin.
Thanks be to God for the visit.