posted February 06, 2009 03:49 PM            

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started
to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He
played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that
time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that
thousand of people went through the station, most of them
on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there
was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a
few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar
tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without
stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to
listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started
to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy.
His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to
look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and
the child continued to walk turning his head all the time.
This action was repeated by several other children. All the
parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people
stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but
continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When
he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed
it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of
the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most
intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5
million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold
out at a theatre in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell (b 1967) playing
incognito in the metro station was organized by the
Washington Post as part of an social experiment about
perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines
were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate
hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it?
Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could
be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the
best musicians in the world playing the best music ever
written, how many other things are we missing - which could
be aesthetic/business/personal...........just
because........they are out of context/in appropriate
hour/in appropriate environment, socially not looking
appealing & so on....?

posted February 08, 2009 08:27 PM            

quote:

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I am considered weird by many because I literally take time to smell the flowers, watch the clouds, pick up interesting bits of stone, pebble, feather, leaf....whatever when I am out and about.
A friend goes jogging every day on a nature trail, or walking.
I found it very strange that when I began to go on about all the little treasures in the woods, the dutchman's breeches, the mayapple, the wild grape, the tiny dog tooth tiger lily, the white and yellow and purple sweet violets, wild ginsing, and pinks, and scarlet flower, and blood root, and a king fisher nest, and the 3 different kinds of minnow in the streams, creeks and river, the salamanders and newts, the tiny toadlets, the treefrogs, the wood nympth butterfly, the various tree barks and leaves, and oh the smell of it all!....and more.....
She had absolutely no idea what I was talking about!
Her purpose was to get in there with her dogs and exercise and get out again.
Nothing more.
I just do not understand how people can ignore all that kind of thing and not see and feel, touch, and hold, smell and just take it all in with childlike joy.

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posted February 10, 2009 09:15 AM            

Thank You..

posted February 24, 2011 10:04 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by roshanrai:
GREAT STORYLINE,but I wonder, though this is just my theory, what would have happened if Bruce Springsteen had taken the place instead of Joshua Bell and he had sung the unplugged version of BORN IN THE USA in that uncommon environment and inappropriate time.Do you think people would have missed out to notice him too????

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posted February 24, 2011 10:05 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by roshanrai:
GREAT STORYLINE,but I wonder, though this is just my theory, what would have happened if Bruce Springsteen had taken the place instead of Joshua Bell and he had sung the unplugged version of BORN IN THE USA in that uncommon environment and inappropriate time.Do you think people would have missed out to notice him too????

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posted March 08, 2011 01:04 AM              

No time to stand and stare...
life1`

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

William Henry Davies

posted April 29, 2014 07:23 AM            

A reminder is slow down and appreciate the things we take for granted.

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Remember, love can conquer the influences of the planets....It can even eliminate karma.

posted April 29, 2014 12:08 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by TxGirl:
I'm going to make it a point to stop and appreciate atleast one thing everyday. Why shouldn't I? I could die the minute after and I'd rather think I got to go after seeing/hearing/smelling something amazing..than rushing to go on to a life that isn't as fulfilling as one may think.

Beautiful.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Randall:
Kind of sad, actually.

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My Chart!
" Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it is called the present."
-Joan Rivers

"Be who u r
and say what u feel
cuz those who matter dont mind
& those who mind don't matter" -Dr.Seuss

posted April 29, 2014 12:23 PM            

quote:

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jft55QBkE6o

I slept last night in a good hotel
I went shopping today for jewels
The wind rushed around in the dirty town
And the children let out from the schools
I was standing on a noisy corner
Waiting for the walking green
Across the street he stood
And he played real good
On his clarinet, for free

Now me I play for fortunes
And those velvet curtain calls
I've got a black limousine
And two gentlemen
Escorting me to the halls
And I play if you have the money
Or if you're a friend to me
But the one man band
By the quick lunch stand
He was playing real good, for free

Nobody stopped to hear him
Though he played so sweet and high
They knew he had never
Been on their T.V.
So they passed his music by
I meant to go over and ask for a song
Maybe put on a harmony...
I heard his refrain
As the signal changed
He was playing real good, for free

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