Soloist 13-22

I've always wondered what happiness meant to people, and sometimes I would see someone on the street collecting soda cans, and think to myself what a boring looking job that is, how can one possibly be happy doing such normal things in life such as planting flowers or collecting trash. To Nathaniel, being happy is being free of worldly things like apartments, cars, fame, etc. And for Nathaniel, being happy is not very hard, music seems to do the trick just fine. Steve Lopez did a interesting observation; although Lopez has a successful career and fathered healthy children and all seems to do quiet alright, yet Lopez still needs to worry about his debt, his mortgage, and so on. Seems to me like Nathaniel might be having a happier life than the life Lopez is having now. One might argue that Nathaniel is just a mad man who doesn't know what life is. But I beg to argue, I think Nathaniel knew exactly what he needs to be happy, and he is fortunate to be able to do what he loved to do. He might not live a very luxurious life, by any means, but does all the thrills in life really matter that much for a person to be truly happy? Death is inevitable for everyone, yet while we're alive, we take all we can, and we waste all we can, and we kill each other just for the extra few dollars. Being happy and being a human being is what is really important for a better world. I'd rather have more Nathaniels in the world than more Donald Trumps. Those ruthless politicians and new-riches, deprives the society to the point where people are forced to find alternatives like injecting themselves with heroine, or prostitution, even worst-mental breakdowns. Fortunately Nathaniel's has a escape, and it is music that will hold him together, or love in another word. Without love, people will eat each other just to comfort one's stomach.

PS: I want my readers to think about what is being happy, and are all those shiny cars and extra dough necessary for a happy life? I'm not saying money is not needed, but not to the point where you deprive other people's chance to happiness and freedom.