Time Warp

They did NOT want their son, Harvey, to marry our daughter!

They sent reprimanding letters - as did his siblings - warning him against marrying the English girl. They didn't reply to the wedding invitation. No family member attended nor sent a gift.

Yet, my husband and I have initiated three visits to their farm. Why? To build a bridge of friendship. To reach across the cultural fence. To show Harvey we embrace him and his Amish heritage.

I love pictures. "A picture is worth a thousand words" is accurate but, most Amish resist appearing on camera, so I cannot post pix of Harvey's parents. No way!

Want to Be Amish?

You know Amish wannabes? I do. No problem. No put down.

It's therapeutic to unwind. To desire living without stringent schedules. Technology-free. Have fewer demanding decisions to address. Wear the same clothes. Isn't that why we go on vacation?

I do think wannabes are embracing a contrived image rather than reality, and I'd encourage them to read ex-Old Order Ira Wagler's blog post, "Wannabe" Amish from June 20.

You may have heard of Ira or read his book Growing Up Amish. We email occasionally. He's the only former Amish I know who pursued a law degree, and wrote a NY Times bestseller. Impressive feats. He's articulate and active running a business.