Comparing Lifestyles

Bud and I spent three days in Amish Country this week to celebrate our anniversary.  

We stopped for bee supplies on the way there, and that was a trip in itself.  The bee supplier is a family run business, operated by a paraplegic in a wheelchair and his wife (daughter?).  They have “stuff” in their barn, a trailer, and their house, all of which are crammed to the rafters.  I don’t think they have ever thrown out any packing box or outdated appliance they ever owned, but she has no trouble finding exactly what she’s looking for.  Nice people, and very knowledgeable.  We got some equipment and a lot of helpful advice from them.

When in Amish country there is no internet access or cell phone service – just a peaceful way of life mixed in with occasional tacky souvenir shops.  I mean, when the “Amish” gifts say “Made in China” on the bottom you know you’re in the wrong store.

We spent most of our time in establishments like Keim Lumber, Lehman’s Hardware, Heini’s Cheese Factory, Amish Bulk Foods, Guggisberg Cheese Factory, and Kauffman’s Amish Woodworking.  It was at the last place that we got our big purchase of the trip – two benches like this one.

These aren’t just any old benches.  These are Transformer benches.  With a quick flip you can put the back up and have half a picnic table; put two together and you have the whole table.  They are perfect for our small deck, where we can flip them up and use them as tables when the grandkids are around or we want to dine al fresco, but just have seating the rest of the time.

While in Amish country we commented to one another about how healthy their young people appear.  They work hard, and it shows.  Many of the tourist children looked sluggardly and acted boorish by comparison, as do way too many children in our society.  We are old enough to remember when just about all kids looked like those Amish kids, although not necessarily from hard work.  With no air conditioning, computers, or electronic games to keep us in the house, everyone played outside.  To have to stay in the house on a nice summer day was the highest form of punishment one could get.

So, is modern society an improvement?  With rising rates of asthma and adult onset diabetes in children, have we really made life better for them?  Every time we go to Amish country we wish our own lives were a little more like theirs.  Healthy, self-sufficient, independent, and focused on the things that count – God and family.

So now we’re back and catching up around the old homestead.  The grass has been mowed, the garden is mostly weeded, and the laundry is done.  We got almost 4″ (!!!) of rain today, so the mowing and weeding will be waiting again soon. 

Life goes on.  Thankfully.