The Happy Audiophiles

 

Our happiness gets smaller as we get older. As children, our joys are simple and abundant: a sunny day, a favorite toy, a loving hug. Our smiles are wide, our laughter contagious.

But as we grow older, our happiness becomes more elusive. We chase bigger dreams, only to find that they don't fulfill us as deeply as we thought. We accumulate more possessions, but they don't bring us the joy we once found in simple pleasures.

Marco

We become more cautious, more jaded, more critical. Our smiles fade, our laughter becomes less frequent. We start to believe that happiness is a luxury we can no longer afford.

But what if we're looking at happiness through the wrong lens? What if we're chasing the wrong things? What if happiness is not something we find, but something we create?

In a few days I visited my pal Marco’s place in Bologna twice, introducing him to four new friends: Misho and Yanislav & Altin and Franco.

What I learned from my (humble) Charon’s role is that - yes - happiness exists and it’s elusive as the scent of fresh haystacks or rain, but when you experience you’ll never forget.

Happiness is in the eyes of friends deeply enjoying each other’s company, sharing music and chatting, never tired of late night driving back home.

It’s a blinking, wet eye in the dimmed light during an heavenly Haendel or Bach’s piece…

It’s a palpable feeling I so much love, which is exponentially enhanced “knowing” friends are feeling the very same.

Priceless 💫

I love this picture 💫

For many, owning expensive and sought-after audio gears is a form of onanistic autoeroticism, a power affirmation of sort… something not practiced among us.

I apologize with my audio-obsessed friends for not entering into audio details; that’s not important affirming Goto SG-1880 sounds absolutely gorgeously or a Neumann DST62 cartridge mounted on a Thorens TD-124 is insanely good…

Remember? 

We’re after happiness, we’re (music-induced) serotonin and dopamine addicted  😂😵‍💫😉😂 and eargasms-seekers… our audio adult-toys aren’t made to impress fellows but functional to above search… we’re hungry for happiness.

Something which becomes sublime nectar if sipped in good company with best friends.

Let's rediscover the joy of the little things. Let's embrace the beauty of simplicity. Let's find happiness in the present moment - hic et nunc - not in some distant future.

Happiness is not a destination, but a journey.

💫

P.S. - it’s not necessary to spend zillions in audio ancillaries to be happy 😏😉😏 as who finds a friend finds a treasure 💎