The things we can learn from Amish people
Last year, we visited Ohio’s peaceful scenic Amish country centered around Berlin in the northeast part of the state, and were happily amazed.
After dining in a home, touring with locals, visiting the countryside, eating fantastic baked goods and humongous ice cream cones, I came away with appreciation and respect.
And a bit of amusing irony: I saw a 19th-century oil lamp converted to 20th-century electricity holding a 21st-century energy-saving bulb.
I’m just learning the fascinating history, but I think they began as persecuted Anabaptists in Europe, who believe only adult baptism is valid so personal choice can be made. Apparently that was a belief punishable by death, so they came to America where we don’t (often) execute people for religious beliefs. But despite the simple lifestyle and common biblical foundation, disagreements arose, resulting in various Ordnungen (orders) of varying conservatism.
I mistakenly thought “Amish” were homogeneous, but there are as many variations as there are among Protestants. They seem to be devout Christians all, with common desire for a simple life, mutual help, and rejection of most worldly things. And even within orders different congregations embrace differing degrees of modernization, prescribed by individual religious leaders and elders.
I saw a seeming dichotomy: Wouldn’t people who embrace a natural, peaceful pastoral life chafe on rules established by a few, continually balancing between worldly things and godly things? For example, one order allows buggy windshields and one doesn’t. Everything from house color to dresses and hats to pictures to telephones and power and even indoor plumbing are strictly ruled ... and variable.
Those great folks prefer isolation but are so friendly that they welcome respectful visitors (which of course we were). They seem content, with no mortgages, car payments, cellular or cable or internet bills, and few if any tax or utility bills. They sell wonderful produce and crafts and baked goods, and have generous restaurants (and yes, a few tacky tourist shops).
However, I felt for the teenage daughters in a home we visited for lunch. Most Amish education is only through the eighth grade, after which girls apparently continue housekeeping and home skills, and the boys develop farm and carpentry (or similar) skills, both working locally. Don’t both they and society lose when they cannot become scientists or doctors?
This lifestyle has its rewards, however; I ate myself silly on country cooking! Ah, those breads and pies and fresh veggies and chicken and noodles, usually created without the electric grid! No Obamacare concerns here; apparently no medical insurance at all. Group escrow pays the serious bills, and eldercare is apparently provided in the extended homestead. But are they prepared for lifelong major medical?
Yes, many questions and not enough time. We came away feeling refreshed. But I still wonder about those two daughters with no makeup, no jewelry, and what struck us as a limited future. Have to learn more.