Perhaps one of the things we need most is to learn to distinguish the USEFUL from the VALUABLE. A corkscrew is useful, a hug is valuable. A door is useful, watching the sunset is valuable. A cooker is useful, a true friendship is valuable.

Almost always, the useful is more expensive than the valuable. In fact, the valuable rarely costs money. And this is because money is useful, but not valuable. The valuable generates much more happiness in the long run than the useful, and yet we often value the use more than the valuable.

The best moments in life do not cost money… Seeing a child being born; the first kiss; feeling yourself flying hand in hand with someone you love… Those moments that surely pass us by just before we leave this world…, did not cost money. Without thinking too much about it, we must recognise that those moments have been the most relevant we have ever had.

When you are assailed by a worry, stop and reflect on whether what you are looking for is useful or valuable. Let us learn to differentiate, and we will realise that living well is not as expensive as we had imagined.

To illustrate my point, yesterday I attended a book fair, accompanied on this occasion and for the first time, by my son Matthew. My son is immersed in painting and technology, but he did not yet know the magic of a book. Upon arrival, he was puzzled, as he was expecting to get e-readers. One of the promoters approached him and said:

— Look, you don't have to turn it on, you just lift the cover, you don't need to press “next”, you just turn the pages, and as it doesn't use a battery, it never turns off!!!…

Matthew looked at me, smiled and said:

— Daddy, it's great!!!