There's value in a strong back, there's value in ***** hands.
Would my life have been easier working in an office? I'm not sure there's a correlation between happiness and ease of living. It may have been easier overall, but I'm not for that life. I lose those inside jobs. The hot breath of management on my neck, the juvenile nature of coworkers...
Not all value is represented monetarily. Not all money is valuable, necessarily.
Sometimes learning the hard way, and living the hard way, is the hidden key to unlocking hidden fulfillment.