Spending Time with "The Waltons"

Anyone that knows me well, could tell you that I'm a fan of classic television shows.  Seriously...they just don't make them like they used to.  Those shows where you could sit down and enjoy some TV time as a family without someone swearing a blue streak  or watch a sitcom and it was...you know..funny.  

As of late, I've been watching DVD's of "The Waltons."  I'm very proud to say that I finally own the entire series on DVD...including the TV Movies.  Every time I watch an episode, I'm struck by a few things.

First it is the love of the family.  Not only do all of the Waltons love each other, but they love all those who are a part of their world.  If you are a neighbor, you are family.  If you are a stranger, you are welcomed as family.  Everyone gets along because everyone helps each other.  Now I realize that this is all a scripted television show, but I also know that we, as a country, used to be much more like that than we are now.  We used to take more time to just be with our family.  We were not running from one ball game to dance practice, to band rehearsals or whatever else fills our days currently.  Most people I know are so busy anymore that they hardly can catch their breath.  When did that happen?  Why did we let it happen?  What do we have to do to change it?

Second, they appreciate nature.  I must admit, that while I love to look at nature, I'm not a big one for actually being out in it.  I have always noticed that wherever there is nature...there are bugs.  And I'm not a fan of bugs.  But, when I watch "The Waltons," I love how they adore the nature that surrounds them.  And  of course, since they are suppose to be in the Blue Ridge Mountains...well, it is bound to be beautiful.  Makes me look around my own world a bit more and appreciate the beautiful world that God has given me right where I am.

Lastly, they live simply.  There is not a computer to be found in the Walton home.  Nor is there a television or a cell phone.  They read the paper for news and listen to the radio for more news and also for entertainment.  In a world where we have difficulty stepping away from the internet or our cell phones for more than just a few minutes, sometimes I wonder if we are missing out on the world around us.  Even though we connected to it electronically, we are often disconnected from what is right in front of us.  We know what's happening in Washington, DC, but are we aware what is going on in our local government?  We know how our friends are doing across the world, but have we checked in on our neighbors across the street?

Just a little food for thought....at least it has been for me.