Are we missing out on God, beauty, important things of life?

A man sat at a metro station in Washington, D.C., on a cold January morning and started playing Bach pieces on his violin for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After about three minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that a musician was playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, then hurried on to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3-year-old boy. 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. Several other children repeated this action, but the parents forced their children to move on quickly.

In the 45 minutes that the musician played, only six people stopped and listened briefly. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. He collected a total of $32. When he finished playing, no one even noticed.

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, he sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each.

The Washington Post organized Joshua Bell subway playing as part of a social experiment about people’s perceptions, tastes and priorities. This experiment raised several questions: In a commonplace environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? If so, do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment: If we don’t have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing the finest music ever written, how many other things are we missing as we rush through life?

It’s so easy to hurry through life and miss God’s beautiful creation. Gregory M. Lousignont, Ph.D. has given us an example of how we should approach each day.

“Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever! There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did! Because I did, I’m going to celebrate! Today, I’m going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far: the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to make me stronger.

“I will go through this day with my head held high and a happy heart. I will marvel at God’s seemingly simple gifts: the morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the birds. Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice. I will share my excitement for life with other people. I’ll make someone smile. I’ll go out of my way to do an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don’t even know. Today, I’ll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down. I’ll tell someone I love how much they mean to me.

“Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don’t have and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me. I’ll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God and his Divine Plan ensures everything will be just fine. Tonight, before I go to bed, I’ll go outside and raise my eyes to the heavens. I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon, and I will praise God for these magnificent treasures.

“As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow, I will thank the Almighty for the best day of my life. I’ll sleep like a contented child, excited with expectation because I know tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life, ever!”