Tragic TV should make us all appreciate what we have

Often times, we watch TV and listen to the radio to get away from reality.

We know how tough our lives are and how much of a struggle things are for others and sometimes it’s just nice to watch a football game, comedy or reality show (I can’t be the only one, the ratings don’t lie).

There’s something about tragedy unfolding in real life when trying to relax that really gets to me. Last night, I got home and flipped through my DVR and popped on an episode of HBO’s “Real Sports.” In this particular episode, Steve Gleason, a former NFL football player for the New Orleans Saints, was sharing his story as he battles ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). To me, as tough as these moments are to watch, there’s powerful lessons to be learned in them.

Watching Gleason learn to speak using a program where he’ll essentially type with his eyes is powerful. It teaches me to be thankful for everyday, every moment, I’ve got here on this earth.

Watching the former Saint record some video content for his soon-to-be-born child makes me wonder and look forward to the special gift of becoming a father some day.

And then I think about how the show mentions traumatic blows to the brain being one of the possible causes of ALS and wonder if football is going to be around for much longer as we know it.

I wrapped up the show as my roommate was coming home and he asked if I’d flip on WWE’s “Monday Night RAW,” a show we often watch when we’re trying to unwind after long days at work.