What is My Truth Today...WIMTT?My friend, Patti, sent me the item below to share...
PERCEPTION... Something To Think About...This is apparently a true story that a friend said she verified on snopes.com!
Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.
4 minutes later:The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
6 minutes later:A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 minutes later:
A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.
45 minutes later:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
1 hour later:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest 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 Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats 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 people's priorities.
The questions raised:• In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
• Do we stop to appreciate it?
• Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.......
How many other things are we missing?
What I Learned From My No-Spend Month
3 weeks ago
I hope you enjoy this posting. Happy Weekend!
ReplyDeleteDCR
Wow, that is crazy. I would have loved to see that go down. The kids part is facinating! ::)
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ReplyDeleteTLR,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing an adventure that was special to you. I suspect you got the invitation because you could listen to your inner voice. We always have the ability to accept or reject what is being offered -- sometimes choosing to recognize the offer and on some occasions, our focus is elsewhere.
Here's to episodes of active listening and awareness.
Fear is a whole other topic -- one for a future blog! Thank you, again. I enjoyed your story very much.
DCR
Best cup of coffee I've had was with a hobo across the tracks from a place I worked during high school/college.
ReplyDeleteStarbuck's doesn't hold a candle.
The brew required an empty coffee can (metal, in "the day"), a small fire from area burnables, shells from eggs the fellow had left over from breakfast, and, yep, coffee. Some call it "cowboy coffee."
The man was earnest and gracious in the offering. We assembled in an old metal shed across the tracks from where we loaded and unloaded precious and semi-precious metal stock from trains.
Didn't look like much, but he was earnestly wanting to share. Not just coffee, but a thread in time.
Most folks would have passed him up on general principals. He wanted to share a moment and he appeared, magically, on "break time" to present the invitation.
Then, the best coffee and a terrific conversation about traveling the "rails," places he'd been, people he'd met. Very special and expanding.
Thanks, DCR, for bringing back the memory. Your blog is tremendous -- each and every post -- and this one, in particular, wants for explanations of events we could avoid but should not. Thanks for sharing. Brings up the point that it bears listening to the inner voice.
Always seeing something special and different, aren't you?
A special person in my past once said, "Be careful of that which ye fear the most, lest it cometh." A point to ponder as one strays from the path where the fabulous music can be heard.
Thank you.
TLR
Lady Di, you know you have always been my mentor. Your Blog is just great, it really makes you stop and think about living life! I am so happy to have you in my life, your friend and mentor, Patti Pierucci Johnson
ReplyDeleteHey Patti,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much your friendship and support, you mean a great deal to me. I am so glad you like the blog -- I am having fun.