This post probably won’t be deeply theological in most senses, but something happened yesterday that I think will contribute greatly to the rest of the blog. Let me set up the scene:
I had returned home from work, and immediately turned on a favorite TV show of mine; ‘Heroes’. Greg went upstairs to work on the computer, and I was entertained by the DVR…then I didn’t want to get up once the show was over and decided to catch up on an episode of ‘America’s Next Top Model’. I fell asleep somewhere in the middle of a photo shoot and judging, and woke up grumpy and drained of energy and not knowing which model had been kicked out due to her poor performance. I staggered to the kitchen, meandered upstairs to see what Greg was up to…said hello to our neighbor…and then needed to get some energy going (it was only 6 in the evening) so I decided to go for a walk. Greg didn’t want to come, so I went alone.
I walked and walked and walked. The sun started to set and the sky lit up in pink, so I walked north of our house to a large field that sits on a bluff sheltered by a tall cottonwood tree and I sat down and watched the sun set. It took about 30 minutes. There was a slight breeze and I could hear a high-school pep band playing ‘We will Rock you’ in the distance. A mouse rustled around in the dry grass behind me, and the clouds moved to a brighter and brighter pink…they peaked with a flourish and then started dulling as the sun and its warmth disappeared into the evening. I had a moment of clarity in that, and I got up, dusted myself off and headed back to the house.
Once there, the first thing I did was delete all of the shows I had recorded and all the series recordings that I’m so attached to. Nothing I had watched or was planning on watching could compare to the stillness and beauty of that sunset.
I had returned home from work, and immediately turned on a favorite TV show of mine; ‘Heroes’. Greg went upstairs to work on the computer, and I was entertained by the DVR…then I didn’t want to get up once the show was over and decided to catch up on an episode of ‘America’s Next Top Model’. I fell asleep somewhere in the middle of a photo shoot and judging, and woke up grumpy and drained of energy and not knowing which model had been kicked out due to her poor performance. I staggered to the kitchen, meandered upstairs to see what Greg was up to…said hello to our neighbor…and then needed to get some energy going (it was only 6 in the evening) so I decided to go for a walk. Greg didn’t want to come, so I went alone.
I walked and walked and walked. The sun started to set and the sky lit up in pink, so I walked north of our house to a large field that sits on a bluff sheltered by a tall cottonwood tree and I sat down and watched the sun set. It took about 30 minutes. There was a slight breeze and I could hear a high-school pep band playing ‘We will Rock you’ in the distance. A mouse rustled around in the dry grass behind me, and the clouds moved to a brighter and brighter pink…they peaked with a flourish and then started dulling as the sun and its warmth disappeared into the evening. I had a moment of clarity in that, and I got up, dusted myself off and headed back to the house.
Once there, the first thing I did was delete all of the shows I had recorded and all the series recordings that I’m so attached to. Nothing I had watched or was planning on watching could compare to the stillness and beauty of that sunset.
I then went and drew a bath (because it was actually quite chilly out there) and told Greg that I was done watching TV. He had been considering getting rid of it previously, but neither of us had acted on it. With those words he decided he was done too – and within a few minutes all 3 cable boxes were sitting by the door, ready to head back to Comcast.
I’ve felt so programmed lately. With commercials, TV shows, movies, all these things tell you how to live your life and what’s normal and why…and I don’t want to do that anymore – it’s just another institutionalized religion where many things (appearance, food, lifestyle, possessions) are God. I’ve wasted more time in front of the TV than I can count…and I’m done. We agreed to watch 1 show a week together that’s on basic cable (‘House’ for those of you who are curious) and that’s it for me. In a sense the decisions is spiritual for the fact that I need to be more centered, more conscious of the time I spend and how I spend it, of the thinking and learning I do and who I allow to be my teachers. So much of the American lifestyle turns us into brainless robots… and I don’t want that for myself.
So here’s to more time for blogging and thinking…and less time in front of commercials.
I’ve felt so programmed lately. With commercials, TV shows, movies, all these things tell you how to live your life and what’s normal and why…and I don’t want to do that anymore – it’s just another institutionalized religion where many things (appearance, food, lifestyle, possessions) are God. I’ve wasted more time in front of the TV than I can count…and I’m done. We agreed to watch 1 show a week together that’s on basic cable (‘House’ for those of you who are curious) and that’s it for me. In a sense the decisions is spiritual for the fact that I need to be more centered, more conscious of the time I spend and how I spend it, of the thinking and learning I do and who I allow to be my teachers. So much of the American lifestyle turns us into brainless robots… and I don’t want that for myself.
So here’s to more time for blogging and thinking…and less time in front of commercials.
1 comments:
I think it is theological. Rob Bell has stated that theology is a word about God. You found yourself unsatisfied by the culture you find yourself in and found yourself more finely tuned to listen, in the outdoors. It sounds like it fed your soul.
So you went back and trashed all the junk food.
I make myself so busy that I tune out that "still small voice" that is calling out to me. It sounds like you are attempting to become more quiet so you can hear it. Tell me that isn't theological.
At times I get caught up in this culture and I wonder who's voice I am trying to listen for.
If you have to restrict your input from our culture, I have to say, "House" is a good call!
Post a Comment