Monday, May 4, 2009

Why I listen to OTR, instead of watching television

Yom shlishi, 11 Iyar 5769.

"The best that I can hope for is to live to the age of 70.  That will give me 840 months of life.  Now I figure that for a third of a man's life, he's not quite sure what it's all about.  He spends another third just sleeping.  That leaves 280 months in which to accomplish anything.  Two hundred and eighty months in which to justify his existence.  Well, no matter how you look at it, there's no time to waste if we're going to accomplish the good that G-d expects of us.  We certainly can't try to dodge our opportunities... Above all, we cannot overlook our responsibilities to our families; for that is the vocation in life to which most of us are called.  If we wholeheartedly dedicate ourselves to making our homes as happy and holy as G-d meant them to be, then we'll surely not be wasting the life that has been given us.  And G-d will help us do this, if we have the vision and the faith to pray to Him daily, in the circle of the home. For I can promise you this:  the family that prays together, stays together."

This quote ended an episode of Family Theater from the late 1940s.  In the "olden days," Hollywood actually spoke openly of G-d and family, without that little sarcastic edge that such words merit in today's sophisticated age.

Give me a little Old Time Radio any day for real relaxation and entertainment.  Sometimes, you can go home again.

3 comments:

M. Bosley said...

When we moved over here I found a local station that played old detective stories. My favorite is Johnny Dollar. Since it's on too late at night I started downloading OTR casts and have broadened my library to all kinds of radio programs. Sometimes I think "I bet Ema would like this one!" When I saw your post on OTR I was delighted.

rutimizrachi said...

Better than money. Didn't I tell you? :-) And you are right: I am also a major Johnny Dollar fan. Try The Saint with Vincent Price. Great fun. And your brothers are fans of The Six Shooter, with James Stewart.

Unknown said...

shalom ruti. another show you might like is "ma perkins". she was sponsored by oxydol detergent and was on radio (NBC, then CBS) from 1933 to 1960. i don't know if she's on internet radio anywhere but you would like her homespun philosophy and love of humanity. the shows were really short (15 minutes or so). jim