I love going to the beach, whether it’s abroad or at home. There are some beautiful quiet(ish) beaches to the south of the New Forest.

The trouble is that I have stuff with me much of the time: car keys, phone, other valuables. That means that when I’m on the beach I’m afraid to leave my little pile of goodies and properly get into the water – just in case somebody walks off with it.

In effect, I am chained to the land by my fear of loss.

Having a hotel so close to the beach, I could leave my stuff behind and wander off to the beach and really relax. Knowing that nothing that I had taken with me was essential.

It led me to thinking how our fear of having things taken from us, whether by theft or the taxman, actually reduces our freedom. I wonder if that isn’t the attraction of the extreme altruism of the saints – not the giving that was blessed, but learning to live without.

As Master Yoda said: attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed that is. You must train yourself to let go of all that you fear to lose.

The tighter we cling to stuff, the less we can enjoy what’s right in front of us.