About three years ago, in an effort to support my writing time at night, I decided to live without any cable or TV channels. I have an addictive personality, and unfortunately, I love trash TV; not watching TV for three years has been an amazing experiment. Yesterday I needed to upgrade my internet services (as I have been tethering internet for my house from my iPhone, not nearly the speed I need for uploading my YouTube videos), and, when the Comcast guy arrived he seemed confused that I adamantly did not want even basic cable. Out of an effort to offer me good customer service (he was thirty minutes late and ran thirty minutes over in installation), he left me with parting words. “Miss, I know you said you don’t want TV, but I set you up with 150 channels for free. It’s your choice to turn it on or not, it’s the least I can do.”
He left me with a daily choice: TV or not TV.
Just like any choice we face every day, there is usually an answer involving both instant gratification and delayed gratification. One choice sometimes seems more convenient, but accessibility doesn’t always make things the right choice.
The choices we make define the people we are and how we become, for we are a cumulation of our own decisions. Decide to invest in yourself. Decide to turn off the TV, and decide to remember that instant gratification never lasts.