Stop and do not miss out!

"In Washington DC, at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, a man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After about four minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.

About four minutes later, a young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

At ten minutes, a three-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 the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.

At forty-five minutes : The musician played continuously. Only six people stopped and listened for a short while. About twenty gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

After one hour : He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.

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 worth $3.5 million. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organised by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

This experiment raised several questions :

* In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

* If yes, do we stop to appreciate it?

* Do we recognise 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......

How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?"

The Love Rabbi-Yisroel Bernath

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle past 6, the chores and was maintaining a good pace. Carried out the usual Wednesday aarathi of the house. Suma kunjamma had, then, called and spoke for over 50 minutes. We'd breakfast around 9, as Lekha had to go to the Mammiyoor Siva kshetram, for it was the second last day of the Maha Rudra Yajnjam.

Five days into the new year, it was only today that I could wish the newspaper boy, Ramakrishnan, a happy new year. Otherwise, he is up with the lark and cycles away quietly after dropping the newspapers, everyday.

Meanwhile, Subin and his buddy, Santosh had come in to replace and renew the water filter of the overhead fresh water filter and they took an hour to finish the process. Cost us 21/2 grand but it shall hold for the next five years!

The maid is on leave as her disabled sister-in-law has been admitted in the Rajah Hospital for an angioplasty and she is her attendant. 

I'd taken off in the return auto rickshaw to get 'Raamacham' from the medicine shop at the railway crossing. Lekha, on her return, had visited the Harisree department store to pick up sundries. 

Had a light snack of 'paani puri' in the evening for supper. It was nice!