A friend of mine threw out her TV about two years ago. Just like that.  She and her husband said, “Enough”.

She is just as informed as the rest of us and a whole lot more calm than most of us. She has turned her attention to reading: the classics, novels, new thought, economics, biographies of great people, the Bible. She has seen the quality of her relationships improve because she devotes more time to making phone calls, and writing personal notes and paying attention. 

Her life has taken on a new measure of quality because she is not distracted with Robin, Diane, Merediith, Matt and Al, in the morning. She takes that early morning time to go for walks and quietly organize her day…….after writing in her journal. Her day now starts with clarity of purpose rather than with anxiety about the world. That’s when she reads recipes and plans welcoming dinners for her family. She takes the time to randomly write the names of friends on a calendar to remind herself to send them a note that day…..real, in-her-own-handwriting, personal notes—just to say hello. Amazing. 

After our house burned down last year, I ended up on her “cluck” calendar more often.  She called me once a week for months to “shore” me up and “check in”—-her voice, calm and steady—-her heart and mind, fully present. Even though she lives more than a 1,000 miles away—she was there…..with me. No TV on, in the background of her life.

I wish I could be like her. I have my “junkie” moments. I really, really like Dancing With the Stars and American Idol and Project Runway and The Food Network and Home & Garden Television.  I was glued to every segment of  America’s Got Talent.  CBS THIS MORNING, on Sundays, is always full of fascinating feature stories, dealing with arts and culture and goofy tidbits about the human condition. I love that show, too.  I guess the common themes are either “underdog becomes TOP dog” or they teach me something.  There is something very helpful and hopeful that just rings my bell.

Don’t do Soap Operas. Or Dr. Phil.  Never seen a single episode of 24 or Desperate Housewives or Star Trek. But I have been known to keep the TV on, on a quiet day, for the “people noises” to keep me company. If there was a waiter in our house, each evening, he would ask, “Will you be having  TV with your entree?”  The answer would usually be “yes”.

The other day, I called my friend to make sure the ban on television was still holding tight—-yes, even more so.  She made another good point.  People often complain that they don’t have enough time to get things done…..but the average American spends 4 hours per day/evening in front of the tube, 6 days each week.  Counting on your fingers and toes—that would be 24 hours, an entire EXTRA day, each week to find the time to get the things done we can’t seem to find the time for.  She rested her case.  Does anyone have some extra halo polish?

In seeing the transformation of my friend, I wonder…..What about, the majority of  TV that lights up our living room, enhances my life or will become anything memorable, later?  Will I become like my aunt, who,  for years—-talked to me about Travis and Lisa, often hissing and spitting about what “trailer trash” they were.  I thought they were the neighbors she was sort of spying on—until the day she sat down and turned them on Channel 5.  So much of the time, TV just taints my view of the world.  And, I don’t know about you, but most of the “news”, I would be happy…..to lose.

What about you?  Do you think you tube, too much? What COULD you get done if you turned it off just one night a week?