The best things in life aren't things.

The quote draws a sharp distinction between material goods (“things”) and the nonmaterial sources of a good life—love, friendship, time, health, purpose, and shared experience. Its force comes from its simplicity and mild paradox: it uses the language of “things” to deny that “things” are what matter most. In Buchwald’s satirical register, it can also be read as a jab at consumerism and the tendency to measure success by acquisition. The line functions as a compact moral reminder that meaning and happiness are often found in relationships and values rather than purchases.