I'm so crazy busy with work one reason I need to smell the roses more often slow down folks ........... please ! 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 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 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 theater in Boston and the seats average $100. This is a real story. Joshua Bell 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?
I have a sister with a 158 I.Q. If she tells you that she's coming over on Tuesday, she didn't specify which Tuesday of the year. If you think you'll pin her down on a particular destination time, you're dreaming. With her high I.Q., and brilliance with the way she handles people, she gets away with such flightiness. Indeed, you consider yourself lucky if she makes time for you. One of her favorite sayings is, "If there's a sunrise or sunset that needs watching, then everything else can wait." I don't know how she keeps money in her pockets (I think she gets people to invest in certain things), but she emailed me recently, saying, and I quote:"With the downturn in the economy, I might have to get a job."
I also have a former brother in law with a unique outlook on life. He will go to a junkyard and pull out a wrecked 57 Chevy, buying it for a few hundred. He'll work on it until the engine runs. Then, he'll turn around and sell it for 5k or more (collectors treasure a running classic, bodywork is easy compared to the mechanics of a running engine). Money in hand, he'll go fishing until the money runs low, at which point he finds another classic, and repeats the cycle.
Actually, I've proven myself to recognize talent. In down town Porto, there was a guy playing violin beautifully really it was something amazing. I was walking with a friend of mine and we both stopped to listen. Afterwards, we went to talk to him. He was a Russian and he had taken a superior degree in violin in the Moscow conservatory. Sadly, hardships had cause him to emigrate and there he was, stranded in the middle of a street. A far better violinist than most who nowadays perform in our theatres... It's a shame really. Other finds in Portugal included the vice world karate champion. He was recognised by a Portuguese sensei while he was working on construction. An Ukrainian chap. very nice fellow. Cheers...
Maybe they should try this experiment in say Jacksonville, FL or Tuson, AZ. The only thing wrong with this experiment that it was run in DC where the well-known Potomac fever runs rampant! Anyone (of either party I might add) thinks that the US government and the world will crash and burn IF they dont get to their cubicle/corner office/penthouse in DC before 8 AM! Another way to say this is that DC is full of self centered jerks. The only thing they like to listen to is their voice. And if you do try to stop and smell the roses in DC, you'll either be mugged or be involved in a traffic accident. OK rant off. I have to drive with some of those folks tomorrow AM!
