Now, I’ll be honest – when I first saw the word Extravagant pop up as the daily prompt, my initial thoughts had to do with spending mad money to make a point. I’m not proud of it. Hence, I sat down with the word and a coffee, and thought about it.

My thoughts disintegrated when I felt a spider crawling down the back of my neck. And the ensuing panic attack brought a shock of clarity in its wake.

It is better to be extravagant with the time we devoted to our friends. It must be. People are an inherent part of life. The people we care about deserve more of our time and, by extension, ourselves, than monetary contributions and lively separation can fully convey.

This is not an excuse to be a tight arse. I’ve already planned a double date and a coffee morning. It won’t be free, but it will be good because of the time.