The Preschool Times

Preschoolers are the smartest people I know. Don’t get me wrong; I have the opportunity to meet and speak to some of the most complex minds, but it is the youngest members of society who constantly remind me of true “smartness”.  Preschoolers have the innate ability to discern that which is important from that which is not.

Many of you may have seen or heard about the social experiment conducted by the Washington Post. It focused on social priorities, perception and taste. A violinist played beautifully in an urban subway.  The adult commuters barely paused a moment to hear the music, but the children were transfixed. They did not want to move. Every parent, without exception, forced their child to move on quickly. Even as they were forced to leave, the children continued to turn their heads in the direction of the music.
I quote from the study, “The violinist finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but 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 dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100. “

So who was the smart person in this story?  Certainly, it was not the professionals, workers or parents who passed the musician without even acknowledging him.  It was the littlest members of our society who slowed down to enjoy the beauty where they found it. No one had to tell them this is Joshua Bell the great violinist. They heard his music and understood this is a thing of beauty and it must be enjoyed here and now. No matter how they tried to point this out to their parents, no one listened.

As “grown-ups”, we tend to like our beautiful moments to arrive as scheduled. Of course we will pay for this privilege but it is also in paying that we find their value (He must be good; the tickets are $100.00 dollars).   But it is our children who see the world in real time. If they see someone behaving ugly, they see it here and now and when they see something beautiful or interesting, they want to experience it now; not in some unseen future time. It is the children who understand the true value of a moment. It is the adults who, in their never ending desire to meet too many deadlines, squander beautiful moments in anticipation of a big payoff which may never come.

As an American I was taught by word and action to embrace the efficient, no nonsense approach to life. And this behavior model has served me well up a point. It is my time spent with preschoolers that has taught me to appreciate the gift of each day and to understand how fleeting a moment can be. So the next time you are tempted to push your preschooler along, pause and see just what it is that has caught their attention it might just be a wonderful gift; the gift of a moment.

Happy Holidays,

Peace & Light,

Grace