Comments on: When The Music Is Free: Joshua Bell In The Subway http://www.danwilt.com/when-the-music-is-free-joshua-bell-in-the-subway/ spiritual storytelling, keeping faith Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:27:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Rosemary http://www.danwilt.com/when-the-music-is-free-joshua-bell-in-the-subway/#comment-866977 Rosemary Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:18:48 +0000 http://www.danwilt.com/?p=1887#comment-866977 Ben - thanks for the posting of the youtube video - it makes the point more poignant. How often I wonder in our lives, have we bypassed something of the beauty of God, just because it wasn't packaged with the latest fancy wrappings. Or because there wasn't a huge sign in bright colourful lights saying 'watch me'. It is a message of appreciation of the simple things in life, not to take anything for granted. Perhaps too, don't judge a book by its cover - delve deeper. I pray I will listen to the instrinsic beauty of all music and not be judgemental but appreciate everything and that no matter who is playing, the greatest instrumentalist of, will always be God. Ben – thanks for the posting of the youtube video – it makes the point more poignant. How often I wonder in our lives, have we bypassed something of the beauty of God, just because it wasn’t packaged with the latest fancy wrappings. Or because there wasn’t a huge sign in bright colourful lights saying ‘watch me’. It is a message of appreciation of the simple things in life, not to take anything for granted. Perhaps too, don’t judge a book by its cover – delve deeper. I pray I will listen to the instrinsic beauty of all music and not be judgemental but appreciate everything and that no matter who is playing, the greatest instrumentalist of, will always be God.

]]> By: Ben Seidl http://www.danwilt.com/when-the-music-is-free-joshua-bell-in-the-subway/#comment-865733 Ben Seidl Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:01:53 +0000 http://www.danwilt.com/?p=1887#comment-865733 The Washington Post made a video about this as well. You can go to the following link and watch Joshua Bell play. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnOPu0_YWhw The Washington Post made a video about this as well. You can go to the following link and watch Joshua Bell play.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnOPu0_YWhw

]]> By: Joe Steele http://www.danwilt.com/when-the-music-is-free-joshua-bell-in-the-subway/#comment-865530 Joe Steele Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:29:28 +0000 http://www.danwilt.com/?p=1887#comment-865530 I had perhaps had less chance than others to hear performances like this on the farm in Saskatchewan. What I did learn to appreciate from a young age was sunrises and sunsets. We were blessed daily with un-describable beauty and colours painted on a vast moving canvas. Where I live now those moments are rare by comparison, but I make every effort when presented with a chance to experiance the "real world" around me, to take it. Our children learn from watching and modeling us. Is our society in it's rush for getting more and getting it faster, snuffing out that childlike recognition of beauty and wonder at an earlier age every year? I hope my children will stop and "listen" to the world around them. I had perhaps had less chance than others to hear performances like this on the farm in Saskatchewan. What I did learn to appreciate from a young age was sunrises and sunsets. We were blessed daily with un-describable beauty and colours painted on a vast moving canvas.
Where I live now those moments are rare by comparison, but I make every effort when presented with a chance to experiance the “real world” around me, to take it.
Our children learn from watching and modeling us. Is our society in it’s rush for getting more and getting it faster, snuffing out that childlike recognition of beauty and wonder at an earlier age every year?
I hope my children will stop and “listen” to the world around them.

]]> By: Cindy Rethmeier http://www.danwilt.com/when-the-music-is-free-joshua-bell-in-the-subway/#comment-865439 Cindy Rethmeier Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:17:31 +0000 http://www.danwilt.com/?p=1887#comment-865439 For several years I have had a canary in the house. I love the way they sing! When canaries molt, they stop singing and the last several birds I've had never sang as beautifully after their first season of molting. But the canary I have now is a canary and goldfinch mix and he is a singer of the most amazing songs! He recently began singing again and I notice his song all throughout the day. Maybe I notice because he has been silent for the last month or so? I wonder if maybe being surrounded by so much sound and activity (read: noise and hurry) contributes to not being able to hear even the most beautiful songs. Leaving space for silence and stillness has given me the gift of hearing. Thanks for the post, Dan! For several years I have had a canary in the house. I love the way they sing! When canaries molt, they stop singing and the last several birds I’ve had never sang as beautifully after their first season of molting. But the canary I have now is a canary and goldfinch mix and he is a singer of the most amazing songs! He recently began singing again and I notice his song all throughout the day. Maybe I notice because he has been silent for the last month or so?

I wonder if maybe being surrounded by so much sound and activity (read: noise and hurry) contributes to not being able to hear even the most beautiful songs. Leaving space for silence and stillness has given me the gift of hearing.

Thanks for the post, Dan!

]]> By: Kurt Parks http://www.danwilt.com/when-the-music-is-free-joshua-bell-in-the-subway/#comment-864842 Kurt Parks Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:22:09 +0000 http://www.danwilt.com/?p=1887#comment-864842 I think miss far more than we could ever imagine. We are trained by society there are certain frameworks or systems that define greatness. I wonder too if we are so unaware of the reality of such situations because if we stop to notice, our hearts might be affected and we may fell we should give something or do something. If we keep on walking, we don't have to engage the situation. This, unfortunately, sort of reflects the attitude of the church towards the world sometimes. we go on with our schedules, at times, hardly stopping to see what may really be going on in people's lives. This story also brought to mind the movement, "Playing for Change." (www.playingforchange.com) A team travels around the globe recording musicians, vocalists, choirs, et cetera. They're all playing the same music and then, once back at the studio, it gets mixed... Amazing stuff! Cheers! I think miss far more than we could ever imagine. We are trained by society there are certain frameworks or systems that define greatness.

I wonder too if we are so unaware of the reality of such situations because if we stop to notice, our hearts might be affected and we may fell we should give something or do something. If we keep on walking, we don’t have to engage the situation.

This, unfortunately, sort of reflects the attitude of the church towards the world sometimes. we go on with our schedules, at times, hardly stopping to see what may really be going on in people’s lives.

This story also brought to mind the movement, “Playing for Change.” (www.playingforchange.com) A team travels around the globe recording musicians, vocalists, choirs, et cetera. They’re all playing the same music and then, once back at the studio, it gets mixed… Amazing stuff!

Cheers!

]]> By: Anna http://www.danwilt.com/when-the-music-is-free-joshua-bell-in-the-subway/#comment-864620 Anna Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:17:33 +0000 http://www.danwilt.com/?p=1887#comment-864620 This is really interesting, Dad. I especially liked when the article said, "The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it?' That's a really great line...I won't forget it. :) This is really interesting, Dad. I especially liked when the article said, “The
questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate
hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it?’ That’s a really great line…I won’t forget it. :)

]]> By: Kris MacQueen http://www.danwilt.com/when-the-music-is-free-joshua-bell-in-the-subway/#comment-864240 Kris MacQueen Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:06:35 +0000 http://www.danwilt.com/?p=1887#comment-864240 "Amazing…when the music left the front porches and the community halls of our society we all lost some appreciation for beauty." Quote of my day. Nice. Kris “Amazing…when the music left the front porches and the community halls of our society we all lost some appreciation for beauty.”

Quote of my day. Nice.

Kris

]]> By: Clifton Bond http://www.danwilt.com/when-the-music-is-free-joshua-bell-in-the-subway/#comment-863806 Clifton Bond Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:01:27 +0000 http://www.danwilt.com/?p=1887#comment-863806 Interesting article. It makes me wonder what I would have done. would I have stopped and listened? or would I have just passed him by? Thanks for the post Dan! Interesting article. It makes me wonder what I would have done. would I have stopped and listened? or would I have just passed him by? Thanks for the post Dan!

]]> By: Mark Grosz http://www.danwilt.com/when-the-music-is-free-joshua-bell-in-the-subway/#comment-863804 Mark Grosz Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:25:38 +0000 http://www.danwilt.com/?p=1887#comment-863804 A number of years ago, while spending 6 weeks in Chicago for IBM training, we came out for lunch and there was a string quartet playing in a courtyard-type area. Every night you can take in some pretty serious jazz players along Michigan Ave but these folks were different. While some people went by quickly without much notice, I spent my entire lunchtime taking in their wonderful music. I never found out who they were but I was lost in their musicianship for quite a blissful long time. I have found we not only devalue music but we devalue people when we don't notice. We do miss a lot and people are fascinating. More than that, they are God's beautiful creation with skills honed over a lifetime. We may never get a chance to listen to them ever again so we should take a bit of time and soak them in for as long as we can. God may be singing words of provision to us that we just pass on by and go on without. A number of years ago, while spending 6 weeks in Chicago for IBM training, we came out for lunch and there was a string quartet playing in a courtyard-type area. Every night you can take in some pretty serious jazz players along Michigan Ave but these folks were different. While some people went by quickly without much notice, I spent my entire lunchtime taking in their wonderful music. I never found out who they were but I was lost in their musicianship for quite a blissful long time.

I have found we not only devalue music but we devalue people when we don’t notice. We do miss a lot and people are fascinating. More than that, they are God’s beautiful creation with skills honed over a lifetime. We may never get a chance to listen to them ever again so we should take a bit of time and soak them in for as long as we can. God may be singing words of provision to us that we just pass on by and go on without.

]]> By: JonnyN http://www.danwilt.com/when-the-music-is-free-joshua-bell-in-the-subway/#comment-863722 JonnyN Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:23:42 +0000 http://www.danwilt.com/?p=1887#comment-863722 great post. thanks! i've really enjoyed everyone's comments too. great post. thanks! i’ve really enjoyed everyone’s comments too.

]]>