“Starting with an end in mind” is a strong statement made my Stephen Covey. I’ve used this statement at different times in life for different purposes. Today, as we have a few days ahead to start a new year, I thought it would be good to share my view before this year ends so that may be you could share the same with others in the New Year.
Everyone whom God created would live in this world. They all would live in the way they are destined to be. When you wish that you want to be happy, you may think it’s the way to without worries. This may be to a very little extent and I mean very little you obviously wouldn’t even remember it. How many occasions do you remember you were the reason for someone to be happy?
If at this moment would you want to give it a try, take a pad and pen down the top 10 list. I know for sure that this exercise would let you understand that you’ll be able to prioritize your happiness index. At the same time if you remember one occasion that you think that made you happy, you’ll find somebody behind the screen in that occasion who gave you the happiness.
If that someone could give the happiness to you, you can do the same. It doesn’t matter who you are and what you have, but all that matters is what you’ve done and where you did it. I am going to tell you a small but a true incident that happened couple of year back. This was a research to see if in a common place at an unusual hour how many people perceive beauty and recognize talent.
On a cold day in December, a man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. Since it was rush hour, it was calculated that a thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip. A woman threw some money into the hat and continued to walk. A few minutes later, a man leaned against a wall to listen to the musician, but after looking at his watch he walked away. Clearly he was late for work.
The one who paid the most attention was a 3-year-old boy. Obviously in a hurry, the mother tugged at the boy, but the kid stopped to listen to the violinist. Finally, the mother gave a hard push and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.
In the 45 minutes the musician played, only six people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 people gave him money but continued to walk. He collected $32 when he was finished playing. Silence took over, no one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
This is a true story.
No one knew the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world.He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million. Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats cost an average of $100.
Joshua Bell's incognito performance in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about people's perception, taste and priorities. Evidently, not many, except the little boy who was still seeing through his heart and could still see and appreciate beauty and true heartfelt talent.
I know we live in a very busy schedule, sometimes we have to brush our teeth while jogging. How many times we forget to hear and appreciate the music and the magic when it happens like the others in the story. But let’s take a resolution in this New Year 2010, that we would spend some time for others and to make others happy, that at the fag end of the day we are not only recognized and appreciated for making them happy, but also would remain in their hearts and lives forever.
