Pull up a chair.

Ali, I must say u r my biggest inspiration, in scrapbooking, and in life. U seem to always have so many things going on at once, but u still make time to make everyone around u feel important. U'r Mother side is the most inspirational, we all love our children, but what a wonderful mother u are to proudly document and post evey little detail of Simons life, even just everyday moments. How lucky he is to be all yours. U'r such a supportive wife and u'r amazing for not just taking u'r sons health in stride, but giving it all that u have to help all the other children whom are going through the same thing. What an amazing woman u are. I am u'r biggest fan, when it comes to u'r scrapbooks. U'r an amazing artist, I love to scrap, and u'r work has inspired hundreds of my pages. I can get enough inspiration for many pages, just looking at one of yours. I would just be honered if I ever got the chance to meet u. Dont ever stop doing what u'r doing, cause u'r doing better than anyone I've ever known. -Jennifer Martinez, McMinnville, OR.

I totally LOVED this article. Such a sad commentary on our lives. I printed out a copy and gave to my 22 yr old daughter with a note, "Hope your life is never so hectic that you miss "Pearls Before Breakfast". As always, thanks for sharing!

Absolutely amazing. All of it. Thanks for the gift.

I'd like to think that I would be one of the people who stopped. I would have stopped only for a little while because I'm sure I would have been late (I'm perpetually late!). This article has made me stop and think about how often I invite beauty in my life. I love music, particularly classical, yet how many times a week do I listen? Or look at beautiful patintings, or take photographs, or scrapbook? Or just watch the trees grow leaves? I've put this quote from the article in my file:
Do you have time for beauty?

I hope I would have stopped. God I hope so.
There have been many times I have later been ashamed of myself for rushing on to the next thing. My husband is telling me to enjoy the journey. I have always been about the destination. I hope to enjoy more journies along the way.

Did someone just donate $10,000????? Holy cow.

Thank you for sharing this!
And it looks like the $10,000 from Kevin Bacon was added to your total.....YAY!

Ali-Congrats on the sixdegrees.org top spot!
Mark your Tivo, Kevin Bacon is supposed to be a guest on Jay Leno, Friday 4/20.

thanks for this ali, it made a great read whilst i was sat at my desk eating lunch... which made me wonder, how much am I missing by eating my lunch at my desk surfing the net... tomorrow I plan to go for a walk and just observe, thank you!! (Also just bought a Josh Bell cd can't wait to listen, I love the violin!)

I love this article.
As a muscian, I would like to think that I would notice.
As a working mom with lots to do on most days, I had to face the reality that I might not.
I think I would have noticed...I think I would have stopped...I think I would have loved it...but I do not KNOW.
And therein lies the truth, right? If I do not KNOW I would have purposefully stopped to appreciate beauty, then I am not living my life purposefully enough to be enriched.
I might be a slave to my schedule and to meeting the deadline...
It made me wonder how much I have missed becuase I was trying to fit all of my life neatly into little boxes and not purposefully enjoying the expansive beauty all around me every single day.
I passed the article around at work.
Lots of people came to me and told me they noticed the trees and the beautiful spring time we are having here after reading the article. Lots of peole got outside, with an unnoticed, grand master violinist on their mind, and for the first time this week, they noticed that the trees were different colors of green and that the flowers are in bloom and that the air is filled with the zing of promise.
That, I think, is the truest gift that could have been had...a few moments with eyes wide open, noticing the wonder that God has made and appreciating that we are a part of it.
THANKS!

WOW, I was astonished that people just kept going. Then I thought what would I have done in that moment? The world moves so quickly and we all get caught up in that. What a beautiful reminder to live in the moment and take the time to hear & see the beauty all around us. Thank you Ali

félicitations for the progress of Simon
{ThE fReNcH tOuCh}
http://prolix.typepad.fr

Thank you (and Jody) for sharing this article. It certainly made me pause and think. I have sent it to my children and I am sure this will be a topic of conversation. We recently spent a few days hiking down into the Grand Canyon during spring break. Both kids have shared with me comments people have made to them about how 'dumb' it was to spend our vacation there when we could have stayed at home and looked at pictures. We were astounded at those comments how people don't take time and effort to appreciate beauty. This article is just another reflection of this attitude.

Whooo Hooo.. Looks like Kevin put the 10K in the Autism Speaks badge!!!! Way to go Ali!

This article really touched me. I have told everybody ive come in contact with today about it. I cant' get it out of my mind. And when I read it the first time i was so moved... like to the point of emotional.
Ive read it 2 more times.
Thanks for sharing this Ali.

What a great story! My 11 year old daughter and I read it and watched the video astounded. How could people not stop and listen to him play such beautiful music?
This was a great article, thanks for sharing it.

oops... forgot to add that I went over to itunes after reading the article and bought 2 of his albums too. Beautiful doesn't quite give the music justice. Its intoxicating.

Ali,
If you like that story which I had posted on my blog a while back...check out my newest posting of a video by Sir Ken Robinson on the topic of creativity at the TED Conference......I think it is a must for all mothers. Love your work.
www.melissasalomon.com
Melissa

wow!

This was a great article, and it left me with a sense of sadness. I too, have done the "blinders on" commuter walk in my day (and being a New Yorker, I did it very well.) Now that I'm on toddler time I'm often reminded (via my daughters) of the simple, innocent pleasures that I would have easily overlooked a few years ago. Thanks as always for sharing.