what else are we missing??

took it from a blog I visit occasionally.. One of the best true story being experimented apparently. certainly one of the most inspiring i've read.

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning. A man with a violin plays six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people passed 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 valued at $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the price of 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 commonplace 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… what else are we missing?

It seems so easy when you say it right? Not that easy to follow, I know. we always have so many things going on. always something to do. somethings we could have done. something we have to do. bla bla bla.. work, family, friends, social life.. its like a rat race. do we take time to enjoy the finer things in life? sometimes i wish i could just sit in that cafe around the corner, sip a cold mocha while reading a trashy magazine or a chic-lit while doing people watching.. the story made me think of my days in london. the underground artists i passby each day. i've never clapped or said anything to appreciate a good music and trust me, some of them were good. you can know that in 3 seconds. i'm that 20 who dropped a quick 50pence or a pount while rushing somewhere most of the time, that I don't have the time to stand and listen or enjoy the song. and now i'm itching for a holiday to london, to do just that. :)

I recently attended the '7 Habits of highly Effective people' training.. unlike other trainings i've attended, this time i intend (and have been since) to follow what's prescribed. will write more about the other habits and how i'm practicing them when I find the time.. now a bit on the 7th habit, which has some relations to the story above. its called "Sharpening the saw'.. in reference to the tale of a carpenter who took time to stop and sharpen the saw and was far more effective in getting the work done faster compared to the one that worked non-stop day and night, with a saw that went blunt eventually.. goes to say how we all need that occasional break. the occasional distraction. the zen time to relax the mind and pull ourselves together. and to get back in track towards our personal goals and missions. with a fresher outlook. all this while enjoying the finer things in life i hope..