A Sad Story

A friend shared with me an article today which haunted me for the rest of my day.

Here is the link:
http://www.egodialogues.com/general/violinist-in-metro.php

In a nutshell, a world-famous violinist taking part in a social experiment performs in a Washington D.C. subway station, attracts very few listeners, and makes only $32. The vast majority of the attention he was paid came from young children.

What also struck me was the author's conclusions on the matter:

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?
My additional thoughts would only be that so many people do things because they are "fashionable" that they forget to look at things with their own eyes, listen with their own ears, and appreciate anything with their own hearts.

I am guilty.

This applies to not only the arts but to life in general. In our hurry to get from point A to point B to point C to point D ad infinitum, how many things do we miss every day that have the potential to affect us, move us, or change our lives? Unlike the child, we are aware. We are purpose-driven. We are cynical. We have seen. We are trying to win the race. Why should we stop to listen to the street performer? Is he not like all of us?


No.

At least not in that given moment. The street performer is not moving from point to point. He is static in horizontal space. The only motions he makes are the motions that result in expression, whether virtuosic or untrained. But as we rush by, he becomes part of our blurred, meaningless landscape. The mountain is not moving. The only motions perceivable are the expressions of life that result in the song that reverberates throughout this age-old earth. But as we drive by, it becomes part of our blurred, meaningless landscape.

The next time I see a street performer, I will give him a generous tip.