"Ode to a Nightingale" is very similar to another one of Keats' works "Ode to a Grecian Urn." In both we see the speaker longing for the unrealistic happiness that others have, while he himself is stuck in the pain of the world.
The speaker in "Ode to a Nightingale" just wants to be like the bird, without a care in the world.
"Tis not through envy of thy happy lot" Line 5 If only he could escape the reality of this world and go to one where there is no troubles. This sounds very good to most of us, however, if we look deeper, we see that the nightingale has only a superficial meaning of life. His brain is dull and senseless to the problems going on around him. In a way he is naive and uncaring about anyone but himself.
It is natural to want to be happy and to try to avoid pain and problems, but perhaps it is needed. Pain helps us grow into who we are and gives us maturity. Problems teach us and we learn to overcome them, maybe to be able to help others later. It could help build our character. If life was all happy, I believe that we would be shallow and immature.
P.S. commented on "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Kaylie
I agree with you Katelyn. Without pain and suffering we would have no idea or sense of reality. Suffering brings us to a higher level of understanding. As you said, if we were all happy and nothing was ever wrong, then we would probably get bored real quick. Life is not always about being happy its about embracing those we couldn't without the mode of pain and suffering through relating to those similar to our own suffering.
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