No TV Allowed

I still remember the day when I was 14 years old. My family was having a yard sale. My dad asked my brother to help him carry the TV out of my parents' bedroom and put it out for sale. I was a little baffled -- for as long as I could remember, I had fallen asleep to the muffled sounds of the Johnny Carson show as it came down the hall from their bedroom.

About ten years later, my mom was preparing me for my upcoming marriage, just sharing general advice. She remarked that having a TV in our bedroom would likely interfere with intimacy. I was then able to connect the dots! At about the same time frame as that yard sale, my parents' marriage had been rocky and they were attending counseling. I realized that the counselor had probably prescribed "no tv in the bedroom" and my dad was cooperating.

In the decade or so since I got married, my husband and I have also had to decide not to have cell phones in our bedroom either. We bought old fashioned alarm clocks to replace our phone alarms. It's like we've created a distraction-free haven where we can focus on one another, chat about whatever is going on in life, and just enjoy one another's company. And sometimes, that enjoyment results in intimacy!

---