Saturday, June 03, 2006
A Thought on Entertainment in the Home
I think that often we take entertainment for granted. Movies, music and other stimulating "entertainment" can be wholesome and edifying, in moderation.
Many folks wake up and immediately turn on the TV. This strikes me as not the best choice for "morning hour". I think morning time should be a time of prayer- a time to invite our Lord into our hearts and minds, thereby creating a place of stillness that can serve as a refuge throughout the day.
In a culture so loud and busy, it seems so important that our homes be a place of peace: not a place to run away from the world, but to make sense of it. With constant noise, be it TV, movies, or music, there will not be as much opportunity for the family to think or pray. Silence is the fertile ground which is neccesary for our growth in holiness, for the sharpening of our minds.In our households wouldn't it be good to make sure that there is this space, this stillness, where children and other members of the household can find peace?
Entertainment in the forms I have mentioned are not BAD, I don't think. If there is a good TV program on, or an important news broadcast, or a good movie, it can be a wonderful time for the family to gather for an evening of fun. Playing music in the home is something we all probably do, myself included, and I think it is an essential part of a child's life. But I, for one, know that there are times when I'm too dependant on the "tone-setter". If I'm grumpy, sometimes I'll turn on one of my favorite albums, in hopes that it'll cheer me up. Wouldn't it be better during these grumpy times to not depend on music, but on prayer? -To listen to what Christ is doing in my heart at that moment? Every moment is a gift: an opportunity for conversion, a call to go deeper into the Love around which our lives are centered. I wouldn't want to miss out on those moments, but I know I have, far too many times. At these times I've depended on music and used it as a filler ro replace the thoughts I didn't want to entertain. There is a right time for music, movies, television, etc. -I think we all know when these times are in our own daily lives. It has it's place and can be appreciated all the more if kept to a healthy, controlled anount.
~Sia writes from Vancouver, WA
Labels: Books Music Culture, Reflections
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