Friday, September 10, 2010

Recognize Beauty

Maybe you've already heard this story from the Washington Post before (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html if you're having trouble with the link.) It's the story of a social experiment involving a world-class violinist and a subway station - and it's a fascinating commentary on our society.

How often are we too busy to notice great talent or beauty or excellence because it comes in an ordinary package? Do we see beauty in our friends? Our parents? Our spouses or siblings or children? I think sometimes we forget that extraordinary things often happen in ordinary places. We don't have to be in a museum or a concert hall to experience talent. We don't have to visit the wonders of the world to experience the beauty of nature. No one has to designate something as beautiful or valuable for us to recognize it as such.


3 comments:

Rachel said...

I love this story and your message, and it reminds me a lot of a Carrie Newcomer song called "Holy as a Day is Spent." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qZyoRiBteI). Though she uses religious language, I think the core message is the same regardless of spiritual beliefs: that the special is often in the act of daily living.

mkgs said...

I love this story a lot, and wish it had happened here (or that I had been there). It's terrible to see something so lovely go unappreciated. I always assume, when I hear stories like this, that I would have been one of the seven people who stopped--and in this case, I absolutely would have. But in thinking about this, I begin to feel that every day there are other situations in which, out of cynicism, oblivion, or apathy, I ignore something that would be a blessing to me if I only paid attention.

Nicole said...

this is so true. we have become conditioned to think intelligence comes from degrees and beauty comes from photoshopped hollywood beauties.

we are blessed when we see things they really are, right in front of us.