In case you are in need of a gift idea for those tricky relatives, Dick Van Dyke – the American actor best known for Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – recently published ‘100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life’.

In it, he talks about his two most precious possessions.

Not awards.
Not houses.
Not memorabilia from a glittering career.

His legs.

He acknowledges his gratitude for being able to move, walk, dance.

I found that quietly profound. It’s such a simple reminder of how easily we overlook the extraordinary in favour of the flashy.

How often we chase the next achievement while forgetting to notice what is already carrying us through the day.

Gratitude has a remarkable way of shifting perspective. It gently pulls us out of comparison, urgency and the next goal… and brings us back to what is actually here.

So today, just for a moment, ask yourself: What are your most precious possessions?

Carpe Diem.