Monday, August 2, 2010

Paying Attention

How many times have you pulled up into your driveway forgetting how you got there? Have you ever had a conversation with someone, walked away, and couldn't remember what was said? This isn't a case of dementia, but one of not paying attention to the "moments" in life. In other words, we are so busy racing from point A to point Z that we fail to enjoy B through Y.

I heard of an experiment conducted by the brilliant violinist, Joshua Bell. He brought his multi-million dollar violin into a DC subway and set up to play, incognito. Joshua is probably one of the top five, if not top three, living violinists in the entire world. The experiment exposes the reality of our modern world as we hurry through life. The Washington post reported:

"7:51 a.m. on Friday, January 12 (2007), the middle of the morning rush hour. In the next 43 minutes, as the violinist performed six classical pieces, 1,097 people passed by. Almost all of them were on the way to work...Each passerby had a quick choice to make, one familiar to commuters in any urban area where the occasional street performer is part of the cityscape: Do you stop and listen? Do you hurry past with a blend of guilt and irritation, aware of your cupidity but annoyed by the unbidden demand on your time and your wallet? ... What's the moral mathematics of the moment?"
A worthy moment is every moment...maybe answering our child's endless questions, listening to a friend in need, a quiet dinner with our spouse, or doing absolutely nothing.

In today's world we find our value in what we do. So we are constantly building the foundation for our self-worth--working and earning our way to self-acceptance. We worry about things that probably will never happen. I want to learn to stop, listen, love, taste, pause and reflect, for my days on earth are numbered. Time is fleeting and the opportunities will never return. I want to spend every moment God gives me because He doesn't give us roll-over minutes like the cell phone companies. I will do all I can to enjoy today and not hurry past the beautiful music that is being made right now.

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