With all the disasters I've been through, one of the things that makes me happy is the knowledge that at least other people on the average are doing much better

With all the disasters I've been through, one of the things that makes me happy is the knowledge that at least other people on the average are doing much better in many ways, especially financially than myself. That's one of the things that inspires hope the most. Quite the opposite of Envy and others among the "Seven Vices".