My friend Cristian inspired me and this morning I actually did it! I cancelled my cable. I confess that as I dialed Time Warner, I was a little nervous. I was about to give up my ability to come home, click a button and escape after a challenging day. There would be no more channel surfing to avoid doing my bookkeeping. And what will I do when I’ve had enough of real life and need to check out?
After I hung up with Time Warner and the deed was done, I stared longingly at my blank television screen. How will I watch the new season of Mad Men? I’ve got to keep up with Don Draper. The guy drinks scotch at 8am in the morning for Goddess’ sake! And all those fabulous 1960’s clothes… Then it dawned on me. Mad Men was once just a simple thought that emerged in creator Matthew Weiner’s head. That in fact, everything on television is the result of someone’s imagination and by spending hours a week watching their creativity on the screen, I was actually numbing my own.
At that moment a new desire was freed up from inside me. A desire to have the dreamings of my imagination out in the world. Perhaps it was time to produce that exercise video illustrating how to lose 5 pounds a week by having sex and eating chocolate? Or maybe a new reality show titled “Real Polyamorous Housewives of NYC”? OK, not really my style – but what about a workshop on how to expand your capacity for adoration and intimacy? Or that book I’ve been meaning to write about how the death of my child led me on a path to love more than I could ever imagine. Now I was getting excited.
Rather then watch Ina Garten prepare yet another perfectly roasted chicken on the Food Network, I could journal, self-pleasure, take long baths or start to read one of the 17 books I ordered from Amazon this month. And I decided to take the $1,200 a year I’m saving on lousy programming and gift my sweet twin Godchildren a weekly gym class their single Mom can’t afford right now. Seems that giving up bad television is already opening the door to more desires being fulfilled.
Now that the click of my remote produces nothing but white fuzz, I’ve taped a note on my television screen to remind me of my hearts deep desire to set my imagination free.
What delicious ideas live in your imagination?
