Working in a TV network for 5 years until 3rd quarter of last year has kept me in the loop most of the time. But when I got married, it ended my affair with TV. My husband decided not to get cable so there’s just one or two decent channels on the tube. Every time I switch on the TV, I rarely find anything I like that’s on. My husband too.

So what happens is we’d end up talking. And laughing. and sometimes some sobbing. And talking. And talking.

Whenever we had nothing else to do while relaxing at home, I couldn’t help myself sometimes and wish we had cable TV. When I was in my mom’s house, I’d just leave the TV  open while I’m on the computer or while we were eating or while I was washing the dishes. This time, the only sound I would hear would either be my husband’s voice, music from my husband’s playlist or cars whizzing by.

But then I got used to it. The stillness and peace of our home. The eagerness of having quality and even trivial conversations over dinner and everywhere else in the house.

Some couldn’t even fathom the idea of having no TV. I myself couldn’t imagine not getting to watch TV for a long time. But after almost a year, I’d say it’s one of the best decisions my husband has made.

TV I believe is good sometimes as they allow us into worlds beyond our own. But sometimes and for some, TV has been a sort of escapism.  A way to zone out of topics, problems, and situations we need to face. It would have been the easier option.

Knowing my husband for 6 years before getting married isn’t enough. As I get to know him daily, it gets more interesting. We grow moment by moment as God has fearfully and wonderfully made us to have our own unique thoughts and characters – there’s a lot more to discover.

In our first year, we try to establish our foundation as a couple and talking a lot puts deposits in our love tanks. It also allows him as well as he allows me into my and his innermost thoughts, emotions about anything and everything.

Spending so much time with each other minus the TV (forces) puts us into situations wherein we have nothing else to say but discuss how we feel about certain things, about each other if we do so and so. This of course has led us into many agreements as well as disagreements. I’m excited as we’re still on our way to learning more effective ways to communicate our honest feelings about each other’s actions without actually hurting each other.

We’re still a long shot from silver or golden years and who knows where things may take us. But one thing I learned from the first year of marriage is that TV channels [or the lack of it] can do wonders on filling up our love tanks – communicating our admiration, affection, honesty and openness (as discussed in His Needs, Her Needs by Willard F. Jr. Harley) and building emotional intimacy with each other.