When I list and therefore define my childhood hobbies and traditions, I rattle on about high school football and church pot lucks, summer road trips to visit family in western Pennsylvania, and the grey sand beaches of Mount Pleasant- just over the bridge from Charleston. This distilled compilation of my early years is accurate but incomplete. From the age of three until today, my one constant friend and companion, the one rarely discussed, is the television. I suppose it’s too common a thing to mention but today is a different day.

I loved Saturday morning cartoons as a kid. My poor parents couldn’t peel me out of bed during the week for school, but on Saturday mornings I was up early like 5:30 am early. I watched GI Joe, Gummie Bears, Thunder Cats, and The Smurfs. He-Man was my favorite for reasons I cannot remember. From elementary school into middle school, I transitioned into a fan of the sitcom. Dukes of Hazzard was my first love, but then I found The Cosby Show, A Different World, and ALF. I spent my adolescent Friday night watching TGIF programming- Full House, Perfect Strangers, and Family Matters. By then, I also watched an increasing amount of sports including every football game I could manage.

In the fifth grade, my teacher Mrs. Bergen discovered how much I loved the US Hockey Team’s run in the 1992 Winter Olympics. So, as a reward for good behavior, she set up a private viewing of the Sweden game in the back room of the school library. I was the only kid there, and it was glorious. To think back on that moment is wild in 2022- 30 years after the fact. And, what did it say about me? Mrs. Bergen may have cracked a code; if only she’d known she might have warned the others. Just promise to let him watch TV during class time and he’ll do anything.

I’ve watched so much television in my 41 years it’s embarrassing to admit. Unfortunately, I’m not alone. I think my story is common among people my age and younger. And, there’s more to it than simple viewing pleasure. I have an emotional attachment to TV. Better said, I’ve run to the TV, my phone, laptop, or PC in times of trouble. It’s been the dependable one in my life- the entity to satisfy my curiosities, distract me, and hold my attention. For all my watching, I wasted a lot of time I could’ve been doing. By any measure, it’s an idol.

After a chat with the Holy Spirit today, I decided to give up TV for the next year. And being completely honest, I hope it sticks. I gave entertainment too high a priority in my life and rarely did any living. Over the last 2-3 years, I did a bit of living and found it to be way more exciting and worthwhile than any watching. Oh, I’m not saying TV is bad, and I’m not turning into a crusader of any kind. This is about me living my best life.

Enjoying a show or a game can be a healthy part of life, but I made enjoyment of shows a major part of my life. It gave me very little in return. Now, I’m giving myself the gift of time, to process, to grow, to be bored, to read, to think, and spend more time with Jesus. My commitment has already given me time to write this blog and go over a drawing lesson. I like that.

See ya tomorrow.