And no, we still don't have a flat screen TV, but I do enjoy watching 'Chopped.' Catching the NBC Nightly News is an ingrained part of a lifetime routine, learned at my father's knee. We love kicking back on a Friday night with some big bowls of mint chocolate chip ice cream or a bag of warm popcorn and vegging out with a good movie after a long week. But other than that, I think it's safe to say that I would be happy to live without the TV.
I'd like to think that instead of mindlessly channel surfing or watching inane shows that serve no purpose or inviting people with filthy mouths and questionable lifestyles into our homes, we might all choose to spend more time living life well.
Perhaps we could reach out and interact with real live people, sharing our tables, talking deeply, playing board games, or doing something fun. Maybe we'd begin to read through the stacks of the books and magazines that pile up on our coffee tables. Resurrect an abandoned hobby or put some energy into trying our hands at something new. Take an evening walk. Or sit on the back porch and watch the birds gobble up their final meal of the day or the baby fawn tentatively make her away across the lawn or the lightning bugs take their gentle evening journey.
Maybe we would learn to treasure silence, and begin to cultivate that stillness in our souls that would allow us to savor the presence of our Savior for more than just a minute or two here and there.
If we said good-bye to TV, we'd probably experience some kind of withdrawal symptoms. I'd miss my 'Chopped' marathons. I guess I could get the news online. And do we really need to spend hours laying around watching movies?
I see-saw back and forth on this. But I know we won't be getting rid of the TV anytime soon.
Yet, Miss Minimalist's post on what it looks like to have no TV in her home is appealing to me at some level. She's got 7 reasons why they're not indulging ... and I love every one of them. Especially #1 {more silence} and #2 {more serenity}. You'll probably appreciate the other 5 as well.
And then, maybe like me, you'll consider what you want to do with that screen that takes central stage in our homes, that beckons to us from room after room, that eats away valuable hours that we'll never be able to reclaim, that steals the countless moments that could have been devoted to the deep interaction we so long for ...
Linda
There's really very little of value on tv. We have 100 channels and most nights I have to search to find anything. Turning off the tv, and doing something of more value sounds like a much better idea!
ReplyDeleteYes! We combined our phone coverage with cable to get a cheaper rate, and 2 months later dropped as much of our cable as we could without losing reception way out here in the sticks.
ReplyDeleteReally ... did we need The Arabic Channel, the SyFy Channel, Jewelry TV, or Teen Nick?
Thanks for kicking off the conversation, Kristin!
We raised our children without television. They can read books, play games, and have conversations. When I am in a hotel and turn on the television, I usually turn it off quickly. I did catch a "What Not To Wear" marathon once and enjoyed it though.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if our obsession with screens in all their forms will spawn future generations who will not be able to appreciate the feel of a well-worn library book in their hands, know what Monopoly or Scrabble or Parcheesi look like, or be able to articulately string more than 3 sentences together.
ReplyDeleteDebby - thanks for letting us know that there is a rich life without the box in the center of the room!
My son and his wife choose not to have a television, either. I guess he doesn't feel he missed much.
ReplyDeleteIt's neat when our kids bring some of what we taught them as children to their own families ... I smile when I hear my daughters say the same things to their children, in the same tone of voice, that I said to them way back in the day!
ReplyDelete;-}
We haven't had any cable television connection in nearly four years and I dont' regret that decision one bit. We still get a few channels via broadcast television, but even then, there is so much junk out there it is almost pointless to turn the thing on! I'd gladly live without a tv, but my hubby is a tv watcher. He works extremely long hours at a very physically laborious job and wants to just kick back and let his mind empty when he comes home. I don't blame him, but if it weren't for that, I'd throw the thing out the window! lol
ReplyDeleteAh ... those were the days when we got channels 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13. No DVDs, NO VCRs. Life seemed quite a bit simpler then.
ReplyDeleteThanks for jumping in, Dusty!
I would LOVE to go TV-free, but my hubby won't hear of it...he couldn't live without his sports...oh well.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a quiet nook someplace where you can enjoy a bit of peace and quiet!
ReplyDeleteI hear over and over that it's the men who want the TV. Is that true, guys?
Thanks for stopping by this afternoon, Crystal!