Family or movies

I don’t have a specific verse for this next article. However, I can say that Christian families are generally caring and look out for each other.
I remember growing up, almost every 6 months, it seemed that we had visited each of my aunts and uncles on both mom and dad’s side. And by default, I would visit all my cousins. Obviously I was closer to some than others.
But the main point was, family was everything. We didn’t have TV with 300+ channels, on demand movies. VHS was the big one when I was growing up. You showed up at our house, or at our relative’s house, and you were welcomed. Rarely did we go to the TV room to watch TV. It was usually because the couch was there and there was sitting room for the men, and the women were gathered in the kitchen. Men didn’t care about what women talked about and vice versa.
Fast forward 30 yrs. Now we have the internet, WIFI, big flat screen TV’s, smart phones, tablets, laptops and the list goes on. And as of lately, I have been watching my Montreal Canadians hockey. I’m a fan of the team, and for 5 – 6 yrs, didn’t miss a game on TV.
Then, a certain cable provider from Quebec, has come out with an advertisement for their services. It basically starts with a couple streaming a movie on their laptop. Then a sudden call from her father. Her husband looks at the caller ID and says to his wife “what do we tell them”. His wife then picks up the phone in a calm manner, answers and then the act starts. She is crying, whimpering, and pulling off a huge act of sorrow, to which her father on the other end calls her by name, and apologizes for calling at a bad time. He was just going to invite them both for supper, but will postpone the invitation another night. When she hangs up, her husband looks at her in amazement and simply says “wow”. He probably never saw his wife fake cry like that before.
The point of this small ad, is that when you have this service, you don’t need to spend time with even your own family. You’re fine with us, just isolate yourself in your home, and watch TV.
On the surface, it seems harmless and hilarious, which I thought it was. Then it sunk in, our current generation is too busy with everything else going on, they don’t have time to meet with family. While I have absolutely nothing against a good movie (I have my favourites), I prefer sitting down at my parents table with my brother and sister around the table talking about memories. And making new ones.
Our culture is erasing family at a fast rate. People are too busy at work, to pay debts they really don’t need, then when they get home they have their kids in organized sports that most kids don’t even care for, or will never excel in.
We should spend more time with our families. We only have them for a short time.
Now, I understand some families are no longer communicating, some have passed on and other situations are going on in others. But if at all possible, spend time with your family. They are the only ones you can’t change.