MAINTAINING A CHILD’S SENSE OF
WONDER
Jesus Christ alluded
to a childlike attitude of openness in order to describe the necessary
conditions for living the abundant life and entering into the Kingdom of Heaven.
(Luke 18:17) Sometime ago, The
Washington Post conducted a fascinating social experiment at a Washington D.C.
Metro Station. It was designed to
evaluate people’s priorities, i.e. the degree to which we focus on the moment (on
our surroundings) due to the harried and frenzied state of mind that is a
disconcerting byproduct of contemporary society.
The
scene: Washington D.C. Metro Station on a cold January
morning. A skillful musician played six
Bach pieces for about an hour. During
that time, approximately two thousand people passed by, 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 continue his busy schedule.
After 4 Minutes: The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw the money in the till and, without stopping, continued to walk.
After 6 Minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
After 10 Minutes: A 3-year-old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly, as the child stared at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. Several other children repeated this action. Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on.
After 45 Minutes: The musician continued to play. Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while.
About 20 people dropped money but continued to walk in their normal pace. In total, he collected 32 dollars.
After 60 Minutes: The musician finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed; no one applauded; nor was there recognition of any kind.
No passerby knew that the violinist was Joshua Bell, a world renowned violinist. That morning, he had played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, and he had done so with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.
Two days before, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the average ticket cost 100 dollars.
This is a true story.
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 continue his busy schedule.
After 4 Minutes: The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw the money in the till and, without stopping, continued to walk.
After 6 Minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
After 10 Minutes: A 3-year-old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly, as the child stared at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. Several other children repeated this action. Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on.
After 45 Minutes: The musician continued to play. Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while.
About 20 people dropped money but continued to walk in their normal pace. In total, he collected 32 dollars.
After 60 Minutes: The musician finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed; no one applauded; nor was there recognition of any kind.
No passerby knew that the violinist was Joshua Bell, a world renowned violinist. That morning, he had played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, and he had done so with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.
Two days before, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the average ticket cost 100 dollars.
This is a true story.
Are you paying attention to
your life? Hopefully, we will never
become so mesmerized by our agendas
or so absorbed in our anticipation of the
next that we fail to perceive and appreciate the now.
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