I have a confession to make. And don’t tell my kids who I lecture about reading more, but I have become a bit of a media-junkie. Gasp. I know, I know, “readers are leaders” and all that, but I must admit that before we moved across the ocean I watched 24 on Monday nights and Glee on Tuesdays and Lost on Wednesdays and Survivor on Thursdays. The weekends were spent catching up on Modern Family and The Office and several other shows (a.k.a So You Think You Can Dance) we might have missed had we actually had a life one of the previous evenings and been out somewhere. We got to the point where we couldn’t utilize Redbox because we had already seen all the movies on I-tunes, and free time usually meant accessing wireless and working on websites or blogs or emails.
And one month and half-a-globe later, I am still trying to acclamate to the new normal of quiet. Web-television doesn’t work on our computers because of international copyright laws and our Internet has once again been down at the house for three days. And, yes, I am reading more and going to sleep earlier and talking to my husband more. And, yes, I could probably pick up the guitar or do more sit-ups with my newly-acquired free time. Thanks for pointing out the positive. Essentially, I am sure that eventually I will have some Ghandi-like, monastic-kind-of lesson learned from this time of forced media-withdrawal, but until I figure that out–
please be forewarned that posting in the next few days may not be as likely as I would want, and
please, please, don’t tell me who is winning Survivor.
(Really, it won’t be a funny joke to leave the Survivor-thing in the comments section either. I might just block you forever. I’m serious. )
ALifeOverseas.com / LauraParkerBlog.com.
Destined Traveler.
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A long time ago, I took a silent retreat for a week at a friend’s lake house. No radio, no TV, no computer. Just my guitar, a Bible, the book Abba’s Child by Brennan Manning and a journal. The quiet was welcome for…oh…4 hours. I went into extreme withdrawl and thought by day 3 that I was going to lose all sanity. Fantastic things came from that week, but it was quite difficult. I empathize. Withdrawl stinks. You’ve inspired me to take more frequent rereats…it’s been a while.
no tv is awful!!!! Good luck in going all ghandi!
you crack me up girl! Luckily for you, I dont watch survivor, so I have no idea who is winning! (lol) sounds hard, but just like all tough things, something amazing will probably come from it…you will see. I miss you! Darla
So glad to be reminded that you are normal!! Don’t we read in Scripture that we are to be IN the world, just not OF the world? Well, tv (or technology) is your part of being IN it so that you can relate to people who are OF it . . . (good spin from one tv junkie to another : )
Blessings to all of you!
reminds me of our creek house time- no recption-cell or wireless. remember that? its a season, girl…and although it may not seam so…it is a gift.
i challenge you to recieve it, to glory in the space & time to ‘be’. In the quiet, the solitude, the weavings of stories will flow out of you. whether now or for years later.
sending love & bouquets of bilmore flowers your way, amanda
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