I learned my first lesson from my grandparents when I was young. They both grew up in very large families and lived through the Great Depression. Saving for a rainy day was their life philosophy. Rather than seeking fulfillment through material items, they chose to spend really simple life together with their family.      Over the years my grandparents notice dramatic changes in their community. Every year more farmland was destroyed to build larger and larger homes. As real estate  prices rose, many of their neighbors sold their little homes and land. Soon theirs was the only small house surrounded by a sea of mansions. My grandparents built and lived in a small 600-square-foot cottage for most of their adult lives. Lots of family members encouraged my grandparents to expand their little old house. But they didn't want a bigger one. They loved their little house and were content with what they had.       My grandparents avoided a consumptive  ( )  lifestyle by painting and repairing the house themselves. They lived in a small home, but had a huge garden.  They loved gardening and planting because it reduced their grocery bill, improved their health, and gave them an excuse to be outside. They also reused and recycled many things. For in- stance.  they had driven the same car for over 15  years and didn't buy a new one until the old Chevrolet was worn out.      From my grandparents, I learned an important lesson: it is possible to live a simple life. My grandparents taught me that living a simple life isn't about self-deprivation . Instead ,it's about giving yourself the time, freedom, and money to pursue your dreams.  Becoming debt free, downsizing to a smaller home, and going out on foot instead of by car are good ways to take control of your life and start pursuing your dreams. The author's grandparents didn't expand their house because   _  .
they didn't understand the family members' advice their house was really new and large enough they were satisfied with the house they lived in they were too old to do any house-building job