There
was a story going
around a few weeks
ago. One of those
annual holiday ‘feel
good’ things that we
all get from time to
time. Anyway, this
one had to do with
some famous violin
player in
Washington, D.C.
Anyway, this
accomplished
musician (Joshua
Bell) set up shop in
a subway and played
some of his most
difficult pieces for
a couple of hours. I
checked this story
out on one of the
urban legend
websites and it came
back as being true.
During the couple of
hours this guy was
there he collected
some 32 bucks in
tips, but no one
recognized him or
the fact that he was
playing on a violin
worth over 3 million
dollars. His
performances are
usually sold out
with tickets going
for $100 and higher.
The point of this
was an experiment in
how we perceive
beauty. Given that
Mr. Bell was not in
his natural
environment, it is
somewhat of a
surprise to learn
that no one stopped
to appreciate the
work and artistry of
this person.
This is the
beginning of a new
year. I’m thinking I
need to slow down
and smell the roses
or the coffee or
whatever there is to
smell before it’s
too late. I have
found myself driving
slower these past
few weeks and
enjoying it more.
Not to save gas, but
to look around
instead of just
getting from point
‘A’ to point ‘B’.
It’s amazing what
I’ve missed over
these past years.
I am determined to
get up earlier and
stay up later. If I
get up earlier, I
get a head start on
the day and don’t
have to rush so much
to get everything
done that I need to
finish. I find that
most of the stress I
deal with on a daily
basis is mostly of
my own doing. So, my
new motto for the
coming year is to
not sweat the small
stuff and to
consider it all
small stuff.
I really should only
worry about the
things I can change
or do something
about. Most of the
things that I
encounter in a
normal day I can’t
fix or do anything
about, so why should
I waste my time
fooling with these
things in the first
place? As expressed
in the beginning
paragraph, there is
beauty in everything
around us, if we
just take the time
to look around and
see it.
Sure, we get angry
about our economy
and our thieving
politicians, but
aside from voting
and writing letters,
what else is there
for us to do? I will
never stop
expressing my
opinion for as long
as I live and
couldn’t care less
if someone takes
offense to it.
That’s one of the
benefits of growing
old. You get to do
what you want and
for the most part,
say what you feel
like saying when you
want to say
something. At least
as long as it
doesn’t hurt
anyone’s feelings
that you care about.
I put that last part
in so everyone won’t
think I’m a total
curmudgeon. I love
that word.
Anyway, the point of
all of this is that
life comes fast and
furious, folks get
born and folks die
off every year of
our being here on
planet Earth. Some
of them get gone
before we have had a
chance to even know
what they were all
about. Personally I
think that’s a shame
and I intend to do
something about it.
This year I am going
to listen more and
talk less. I want to
know what is on
people’s minds and
what they are all
about. Everyone has
a story to tell and
all of us need
someone to listen to
our story. If we’re
lucky we get to live
a long time. How sad
for us if we don’t
take a few minutes
to stop and look
around us and see
all of the good
things in our world.
Lord knows we see
enough bad.
So, look for me to
slow down and listen
more than I normally
do since I think
I’ve been missing
some of the beauty
of my lifetime.
Never too late to
play catch-up is
there?
