If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.

My favourite book is Lord of the Rings, which I usually read every year or two. I love it so much because there is a lot of wisdom contained within a story that also creates a childlike sense of wonder in me.

Every time I read it, something new jumps out for me to ponder, and I also recapture an awe in the world that can be so easily lost as an adult, which is why I never tire of reading it again.

The Hobbit isn’t quite as beloved to me, as the writing style is more simplistic, but Tolkien still has nuggets of wisdom to share in its pages. As I share the quotes that most inspire me, or make me stop and contemplate aspects of life more thoroughly, there are sure to be a number from Tolkien.

I thought I’d start with this quote, because it is such a simple idea, yet it has the potential of making a profound difference, both on a small scale, of us as individuals, and a large, in the societies and world in which we live.

Its message is even more relevant today, in a world which seems to be often focussed on doom and gloom, polarisation, the desire to achieve something “profound”, or the need to gather more, more, more!

It can be so easy to fall into the trap of believing that our happiness, fulfilment and inner peace are linked to the large and significant, when in fact it is the appreciation and revelling in the simple things in life that tends to not only create contentment within the individual, but actually makes a healthier – and merrier – society as a whole.