Now that I've read the book and had a chance to think about it, I'm struck by how happy they were with so "little" in the way of physical possessions ;D
It always amazes me that when the news programs show some of the poorest living conditions in the world that the people are still able to laugh and appreciate the smallest of kindness's ;)
Meanwhile our daily news is filled with people who no matter what they have are never satisfied :(
People like to make all the cliché comments about money and possessions but without the peace that only comes from within your only fooling yourself.
Heimo and his family are "rich" in ways that a lot of people with money/power/possessions will never have and always long for :(