commercial break.

I am writing this to everyone out there who remembers commercials on the television. You know what I'm talking about? That 2ish minutes during your favorite TV show where you hopped off the couch, sprinted to the bathroom, zoomed back into the kitchen to grab a snack and sit back down just in time for "Boy Meets World" to pick back up again... remember that?

I know, I know... it is hard to believe that a time existed before Netflix! It is also hard to believe how much we accomplished in that short period of time, and how that doesn't really happen anymore in our modern world. The equivalent for us today is when Netflix asks "are you still watching?" And we all shamefully and in a very annoyed manner hit "DUHHHHH" and make sure no one saw us as we slip back into our binging. But that nanosecond of time it took for us to lean toward our laptops and tap the "continue watching" button (why is there even another option there really??!), is not enough time for us to get anything done!

I know it sounds ridiculous, but I am serious! I started thinking about what I would do now if I had commercials during my programs... I'd probably wash a dish or two, wipe down the table, probably still grab a snack because food, text a friend, get a glass of water, fold some laundry and SO MUCH MORE! If you were to add up the minutes of productivity during commercials of an hour long show... that is about 16 minutes! What kind of things could you do with 16 minutes? I'm serious!! Think about it!!!

You are probably asking yourself about now why I am rambling on about TV commercials. Lucky for you, I will tell you...

Just kidding I will tell you now LOL. So currently, the whole entire world, is on a commercial break. We have been on autopilot, binging life if you will, completely unaware of so much around us.

Have you ever been sitting on the couch watching "Gilmore Girls" and realized your Mom was standing on the other side of the room, and the ONLY way to get there is by walking in front of the screen? But the kicker is... you didn't even see her walk over there! At first your mind goes to the obvious things: she teleported or she is dabbling in dark magic or she is just a mirage!!! But you know what really happened? You (and me too) were so absorbed in the screen and catching every last ridiculously fast quip Lorelai and Rory share that your brain completely ignored her walking in front of your line of vision. I know it has happened to all of us at one time or another... right??

But anyway, back to reality! Right now we have been handed a "short commercial break." We have been given that time to wipe down those tables, cook those meals, plant those gardens, put away those clothes, FaceTime those friends and do those exercises we always said we would!

As a kid I always dreaded the commercials, but as an adult I see the value in being "shaken" out of "the zone." How much more do you enjoy the show when it comes back on? How much more do you appreciate it when it has been taken away from you?

Obviously this whole commercial/TV talk is a metaphor and hopefully foreshadowing for what is to come in the aftermath of Corona. I know we are all anticipating the end, looking forward to "normal" life and counting down the minutes until it is all over, but what small, but meaningful tasks can you complete in this time you do have? What will you do with your "commercial break?" And how much more will you appreciate life when you have the chance to "do it" again?

-R