Marked up white low top sneakers make a thud as they hit the floor. The sound of a pop can cracks the still air. A blanket is whisked off the high back of the couch. It's time for TV. What to watch? Why, we have so many options. From live sports, to hit movies, to binge beckoning TV shows, your parents and former roommates streaming logins offer you endless opportunities.
"I worked hard today," you tell yourself as you get comfy on the couch. And maybe you have. So watching two or three episodes of your TV show and maybe a few YouTube videos after that will cure your need for rest. Afterall, how could one pass up all these entertainment opportunities? Why, it is just so enticing.
Now watching the ol' color tube is not a bad thing at its core. Why even taking an evening in to watch a movie is a good night spent...sometimes. The cereal aisle at walmart is daunting and endless. That doesn't mean we should consume each sugary bowl of each in one sitting. The result is just unhealthy. Same with TV.
Think to yourself, "what trajectory am I on if I binge content every night?" To answer that rightly, you have to determine if your entertainment is rewarding. By that I mean wholesome. A reward that brings good value, good thoughts. You leave the couch better than when you sat down because you laughed, you cried, you thought about a good creative story.
Ask yourself another question. "Am I choosing to live my life, or just watch someone elses?" I think this is at the heart of TV.
It is too easy to drift into pixel land for hours on end. And this blog is about TV not phones, although same can be said for both nowadays. What parts of ourselves do we miss out on by doing such habits? Would we write more? Read more? Visit family or friends more? Maybe, just maybe we would create unique stories of our own if we hit the off button sooner than what our laziness would desire.
Today is not just "another day of TV." Nor is it another day of iPhone or Youtube or Instagram or ___. You fill in the blank. Today is a chance to discover life that is within arms reach around you. People, places, and reflections to help you think more richly, see more deeply, and communicate more authentically because you got your white shoes marked up and your hands calloused.
20 years from now, I am willing to say you will more likely remember coffee with a good friend than an afternoon spent watching Netflix. And don't get me wrong, relaxing and watching TV is fine. As a videographer I am certainly not against watching good content. But when it hinders deepening your relationships, it is time think differently.
Will today be another day of TV? That decision is up to you. I too am faced with that question. So let us ponder intently and pray we choose wisely before today becomes yesterday.
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