A friend of mine recently received an email from his daughter who is studying at university. It said:

"Dear Dad

Please don't worry but I have to let you know that the digs where I am staying caught fire last night and were burned to the ground. I narrowly escaped, but all of my belongings, including the £2,000 computer and printer that you bought me, are destroyed, as is all of my dissertation work that was on the computer. Unfortunately, I never sent off the insurance form that you gave me so nothing is insured.

I was lucky to escape because my boyfriend was staying with me. I know I have not told you about him before, but I have always been afraid to because he is so different from you. He works in a tattoo parlour in town, because he was made bankrupt last year when he failed to make the maintenance payments to his ex-wife and four children. Because he is such a light sleeper following all of his problems, he smelt the smoke and we got out in time. I am so pleased that we did because he has asked me to marry him now that I'm expecting his child, and it looks like triplets. I may have to suspend my last year at uni now, but I would hope to start again once the children are old enough.

Dad, before you explode, the digs have not burnt down, and I am not pregnant by a tattooist , but I have failed my 2nd year exams - I just wanted to put it into perspective for you."

There is so much negativity in the press at the moment, with so many terrible and horrible things happening in the world. Not a day goes by without some other terrorist atrocity; not a day goes by without some new economic or business problem being shouted from the TV; but no matter how terrible things may seem, we must ask ourselves - how much does this really affect our lives?

It may be true that your investments have fallen. It may be true that you could be paying a little more tax. It may be true that your holiday might cost you a bit more, or that in fact you can't afford a holiday, but all of this must be put into perspective.

We live in a very safe country. We live in a very wealthy country. Not one of us will want for food at Christmas. Not one of us will be cold this winter. Every one of us is wealthy in terms of what we have when compared to 90% of the world's population. With that in mind we must be grateful for what we have, and how truly lucky we are.

If you woke up this morning, then that is better than the alternative. If you have a home to live in, a family to love and health to be thankful for, then you are wealthy beyond compare.

As we go into the festive season, let's be festive. Let's realise that the economic and political problems of the world affect us day-to-day very little, and that we are all very, very privileged to be where we are.