I had an obsession with the Amish. Plain and simple. Objectively it made no sense. I, who worked hard at being special, fell in love with a people who valued being ordinary…Sue Bender, Plain and Simple.
When I read the prologue to Ms Bender’s book, it was as if she had read my mind. My fascination with the Amish began over 15 years ago. Their simple lifestyle drew me in. I even prayed that God would make me Amish. Sue Bender journey became my journey. I lived vicariously thru her. I ate, drank and sleep Amish. I surrounded my self with Amish faceless dolls and pieces of Amish quilts, large and small.
The philosophy of the Amish became a part of my personal fiber. They taught me the lesson of everyday sacred.
“ There was something unsettling about their quiet sameness, the holding-back way they carried themselves, almost merging with their surroundings. It was as if everyone had conferred beforehand and agreed that no one would stand out.”
Sue Bender was also drawn to the Amish and her Story is beyond compare. She aches to live among the Amish and perseveres until a family allows her to come live with them. Plain and Simple is her experience before and after her life with the strangers.
“ Time was full and generous. It was as if they had uncovered a way to be in time, to be a part of time, to have a harmonious relation with time”.
This week the Amish find themselves in a place they never considered. Their lives have been left in shambles and they are left to pick up the pieces with no history to draw on.
“ No distinction was made between the sacred and the everyday. Five minutes in the early morning and five minutes in the evening were devoted to prayer, The rest of the day was spent living their beliefs. Their life was all one piece. It was all sacred – and all ordinary.”
The Amish will recover from this intrusion into their community. The coming days will tell if they will change their ways. I am thinking, it is not likely to make them set up security cameras or put bars of the doors. These are a people who are sure of their faith and not afraid to live it.
“ What happens when a disaster comes?”
“ Everyone comes to the rescue,” he smiled, making it sound simple. I must have had a strange look on my face, for he added, “ You seem so worried, Really, there’s nothing unusual about it – we just pitch in. Nothing special about that.”
One family lost 2 daughters. Double the grief. Just knowing that they all pitch in, gives me hope.
“ In keeping with the simplicity of their lives, when someone dies, family members make a basic pine box coffin. White is never used in quilts but was saved for funerals. At the service the minister delivers a short eulogy that shows respect but offers no extravagant praise.”
May God bless them in this time. May their faith keep them strong. May they know Him, even more...
