Stop... and Listen to the Music, Watch the Rain Fall, Admire the Eagle, Watch the Wind Dance Across Puddles, Enjoy Being With Your Kids...

I am guilty of deleting many forwarded emails. My alone time on the computer is precious. I'd rather get on to the "real" emails, to my blog, to some project I might be working on or to the apartment work I have to do. I'm not sure exactly why, but I opened a forwarded email today, sent to me by my friend Lisa from Idaho. Thank you, Lisa.

It was very timely for me, as I just had the "opportunity" to spend two full days with all three of my children (Ammon and Abe have strep throat so Ammon stayed home from school and we haven't gone anywhere except the doctor's office). During these two days, I had many thoughts about the frustration I could vent in a sarcastically written post about our many mishaps, arguments, fights, and other not-so-pleasant experiences.

Instead, all I can write is that I should have stopped to enjoy the extra time playing with my children. Should've, would've, could've... right??? I will repent and try to do better tomorrow.

Appropriate confession: At one point during the day today, I was yelling at my kids about how they needed to hurry and pick up their toys. I was fed up with being inside our messy home, looking outside at the dreary gray sky and hearing the rain fall onto the ice-covered street. My kids, on the other hand, were not listening to me. Instead, they were just standing at the window fascinated by the way the wind blew across the huge puddles in the street, forming ripples that awoke their imagination into creating an "invisible speedo man" who was running back and forth on the puddles in front of our window. I made them leave the window and clean up their toys.

This article from the Washington Post is long, but fascinating. I also watched the Youtube video. And finally, here is the abridged version of what it's all about. (Sorry for the blue font... I tried my hardest to change it, but failed.)

A Violinist in the Metro

- Something to Think About......

A man stood in the lobby area of the metro station in Washington D.C. 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 thousands 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, 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 continued to walk without stopping.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but then 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 pulled him along hurriedly, but the boy stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head back toward the violinist all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, witho ut exception, forced them to move on.

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

Obviously, no one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the finest classical musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, and he played it with a violin worth $3.5 million.

Two days before this performance in the subway, Joshua Bell had sold out at Symphony Hall in Boston where the seat price averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by The Washington Post, as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: In a banal setting at an inconvenient time, would beauty transcend? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize 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 finest musicians in the world playing some of the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing every day?

May you take the time in 2009 to experience

the beauty of the sights and sounds that surround you.