Oh no – I can’t live

A very close friend of mine sent me a link for a T.V. turnoff week program, basically it says to turn off your television for a week and do other activities instead. When I first looked at the site, I was thinking how this topic became the topic of interest this week. Why? Sri was also talking about turning off our television and doing something else this past weekend which was gorgeous. We were also reading an article that had a list of question trying to find out if you watch more than 2 hours of T.V. every day, do you snack while watching T.V., do you get so deeply involved that you don’t know if others are talking to you and such. If you had answered ‘Yes’ to any of the question, it would basically brand you as a T.V. head.

While T.V. is considered the window to the world, it is also now considered as a means where kids can learn violence, watch cartoons and other T.V. shows all day long, look at junk snack ads and toys, ask or rather pester their parents to get more of it and finally become couch potatoes and contribute to the obesity problem that this nation faces. Anything of limit is good and if it goes over limit, it becomes poison, basically not good. T.V. watching is good for kids when they watch programs that are about nature or wild life or scientific or historic, something that teaches them, enhances their knowledge, supplements what they study in school. But when they watch cartoons for hours together then they are not challenged to do anything else physically or mentally but instead they just end up staring at T.V.

Kids or adults can watch T.V. for some time to unwind, but also should do other activities outside. There are a lot of activities and games that can played outside on a good sunny day. It is good for the mind and body and it rejuvenates our soul. But on a cold winter day, what options we have, some might ask. That would be a perfect time to pick up a book and sit in a cozy corner and read away all you want and be transferred to your world where the book takes you. I keep telling Yash to read to a lot and make it a habit to carry a book everywhere he goes, because books are the best and ever lasting friends he can have for his entire life which will not fail to give him company whenever he wants.

As far as I go, I read too whenever I can, after I finish my chores. Whenever I work in the kitchen, I put on the t.v. and watch it in the passing. But since I had the T.V. on for hours together while I am in the kitchen, does that mean I am a T.V. head. No. While T.V. helps me in unwinding and relaxing, it also helps me to get my chores done while it is on. As per the link, to keep it off for a whole week is good but if you follow to watch moderately or as needed per day, then you will not be at a point to need to shut off T.V. for a whole week. In India, people enjoy what they eat and they eat well. Food prepared in desi ghee and oil, full course meal for lunch and dinner. To compensate for all this eating, they also follow ‘vrath’ which means fasting for religious purposes. Festivals like Rama navami/dhashara and Durga Pooja will have fasting for a week or ten days before the grand function. This is a way to balance out their diet and happy eating.

It looks like having a week off from t.v. follows the same regime as I mentioned above. Watch T.V. in moderation and do other outdoor activities and you will never need a week off from t.v. If you are physically active, it keeps your body and mind active. Let t.v. be the window to the world. Through the window, you can see good and bad that happens in the world, just like the window in your house. You make the choice of what you want to see in the world. Something that will enlighten you and make you more knowledgeable or something that will make you dumb. You always have the right to choose and so make the right choice in watching what you see on t.v.