Does anyone listen anymore? I mean REALLY listen... I know you all have your ears open, for the most part, and sometimes a few words get through all the filters, but I don't think it's enough.
Kudos to Caleb, as he sent me an article the other day, the gist of which was, a world renowned violinist takes his skills to the street, incognito, playing BEAUTIFUL classical music in a very busy DC metro station. The test was to see if real talent and skill would permeate through the filters of busy rush hour commuters and be recognized and honored. Our violinist played for 43 minutes, during which time approximately 1,100 people passed through the area as the masterpieces of Bach, Schubert, Ponce, and more bounce around the open atrium of L'Enfant Metro Station. Of these 1,100 few leave change for the artist and fewer still actually linger to enjoy the beautiful artwork. Essentially, no different from a vagrant with a pawn-shop saxophone performing on the street.
Have we become so jaded? Are we all sick of listening? Or are we just too busy? Too busy to appreciate beauty?
And it's not just music, it's not just listening, we've stopped reading as well! In school we're being taught speed-reading techniques, ways to take in the minimum amount of information about a topic based on the vast amount of information provided to us. Pattern recognition that allows us to read four or five word phrases or in some cases entire sentences as one entity, ignoring structure and word choice. Is that how my ramblings are being read? Skip all the little words and just try to focus on the "general idea." When we write, ideally, we choose our words carefully, crafting sentences like brush strokes in a painting. Sure, you can get the idea by standing back and looking at the whole picture, but the beauty is in the details.
Slow down my friends, slow down and try to take in the things around you. Nothing is so important that it can't wait just a couple more minutes while you bask in the glowing beauty of a moment. Just one moment. Slow it down... make each moment last... 'cause all we get is moments. Just moments. Just a moment. Then it's gone.
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3 comments:
well said my friend.
What I found most remarkable was the fact that largest group of people who made an effort to stay an listen were children. The older we grow, the more the ambient noise of our lives create scar tissue on our ability to hear. If we just stopped and cleared our heads and payed attention we would find that it's not noise--but music.
I am always impressed by good listeners, good conversationalists, good story tellers, and people that are interested in doing things with their life.
I agree. Everyday appreciate something.
Well said.
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