I'm Going to Start Supporting Street Musicians

I was rushing to the open-air market during our mid-morning break in Italian class. I don't enjoy class. I turned down a covered alleyway with the latest verb tense weighing heavily on my mind. I wanted to bypass the stream of people and get my fruit. I was in no mood for noticing the world around me. I was stopped in my haste by the sound of music drifting along the alley over the heads of the crowd. A man stood against a wall playing a clarinet. I stood and listened, no longer in a rush. The unexpected beauty of the music change my mood. Suddenly the world was a nicer place, and the new verb tense seemed a bit less intimidating. Beauty has a way of softening the rough edges of life, lightening the load of our worries. Unexpected beauty, that takes us by surprise is particularly powerful.

I am going to start contributing a bit to every street musician I pass. I want to foster beauty on the streets. It will make the world a more welcoming place.