Giving Unsolicited Advice to Amish Women

Last weekend I was shopping in Shipshewana and met a spunky Amish lady. She was very friendly and chatty. We bonded over pie. I expressed my thought that anything with rhubarb is just sick, wrong and a crime against baked goods. Apparently, the whole Amish population and the rest of America agrees with her. Then we commiserated over the construction in downtown Shipshewana. She lamented the fact that it caused her to go 5 miles out of her way to get home. I suggested she barrel right through the construction. She considered it briefly. I guess it would be hard to outrun the long arm of the law in a horse and buggy. But, on the plus side, they can't publish a photo of her on America's Most Wanted since the Amish forbid "graven images" of themselves. Maybe this wasn't the advice she was hoping for. But, I'm trying to make friends. That counts for something, doesn't it?

Spending time with the Amish

Shipshewana is an Amish town in Northern Indiana about 30 miles from where we live. It's a wonderful town with shops, restaurants, farms, theater, festivals and flea markets. It's a great place to spend the day. We love taking friends there to explore. The Amish are very friendly and engaging. They handle the curiosity and questions about their life style, clothing and habits very well. While browsing in a candy store, Sara spotted an Amish family with a girl her age. She exclaimed, "Mommy, I think they are Amish!" They laughed and confirmed her suspicions. Sara walked over to the little girl, introduced herself and asked if she wanted to be friends. The Amish girl responded with an enthusiastic "yes"! They held hands and explored the candy store. They bonded over their love of sugary treats and the woes of having younger brothers. The Amish are so different in so many ways. But, they are very similar to us as well. The mother and I chatted about large families, toddlers, sibling rivalry, diapers, feeding, etc. I admire and respect their lifestyle. They live by a simple and honest code. Be faithful, respectful, considerate, don't judge, don't be jealous or prideful. While I don't think I could handle their dawn to dusk, no electricity lifestyle, I am truly in awe of their way of life. They do not judge others. They are not jealous or competitive. They live simply and honestly. They fully embrace the idea of community. They pitch in and take care of each other. People often wonder if they judge our modern and extravagant lifestyle. They do not. They believe everyone should live the life they choose.

We went on a buggy ride with an Amish driver. Sara sat next to him and told him all about her imaginary horses and how she cares for them. She had millions of questions about his horses. Interestingly, she didn't ask about his clothes or the Amish lifestyle. She understands that they dress differently and don't use cars. She accepts their lifestyle for what it is - theirs. I'm trying to convince her she would enjoy a couple weeks of "plain" living. She says as long as she could bring her stuffed "lambi" to sleep with, she'd be ok.

Wildlife in the Cornfields

In the 18 months we have lived here, I've seen some strange things. I've seen Amish people talking on cell phones at Target. I've seen a rooster and a chicken in my yard. Actually, my husband had to identify the chicken and rooster for me. I just called him and told him that weird feathery things were running around our yard. Back home, the craziest thing I ever saw was 2 neighbor dogs getting overly friendly with each other. I've seen a wild turkey waddling around an intersection. I saw a live monkey riding in the back seat of a car drinking a coke. While I am not exactly a city girl, these things are both surprising and entertaining. To say I'm not a nature girl is to put it politely. While jogging in my mother-in-law's Chicago neighborhood, I saw a coyote and ran screaming the other way. Side note - I had no idea I could run that fast. Or that coyotes are big scaredy cats, too. On the other hand, last year we had a baby bunny in our yard. I made my husband ask the neighbor to keep their crazed cat locked up so it wouldn't snack on little Thumper. It made me feel like I was Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie (but with a car, microwave, running water and cell phone).