Borrowing some observations from the musical, Hamilton, 'It's Quiet Uptown' as we deal with The Unimaginable. This is the pattern the world over as we try to cope with the calamity of our times.
Our little island, off the coast of mainland Europe, is currently a case of contrasting stories. South of the border a three-party coalition, formed nine months ago, with two once bitter rival factions at the helm, is binding tight.
But it is under fire from a dispirited general public for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. In Northern Ireland, 15 months after devolved government was restored following three years in mothballs, the power-sharing Executive is struggling.