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Have you read the book “Rumspringa?” If so, do you think it does justice to the dilemma young Amish teens find themselves in?  Sarah Weaver asked this question some time ago, and I am just now getting around to answering it — thanks for your patience, Sarah. Yes, I have read Rumspringa — in fact…

Do the Amish get involved in community politics? I know there have been controversies about electrical lines crossing Amish-owned property and other community issues, but what about state and national election concerns? It’s been a while since last I posted. David and I had to make a mad dash to Rangeley, Maine this past weekend.…

We are linked by blood, and blood is memory without language. ~ Joyce Carol Oates One of my readers has asked whether my husband is also from the Amish community and what my sons’ relationship is to my background. I will address each of these in turn. David was not raised Amish –– he was…

It’s surprising how much memory is built around things unnoticed at the time. ~ Barbara Kingsolver Happy New Year to everyone! David and I enjoyed a very quiet, yet festive evening together on New Year’s Eve. We’d had a hectic week, so after a nice meal, we sat on the couch, covered with a blanket,…

Thanks for giving us a fuller view of “rum springa.” I was curious about what traditional courtship would entail. Going out to dinner is the most benign kind of date in mainstream American culture. That this would be more threatening than getting drunk on the regular basis, was surprising. Okay, AnnnieM, I am ready to…

Someone asked me to clarify what it means to be shunned by the Amish. First I will mention that there are two different kinds of shunning –– temporary shunning and permanent shunning. In this essay I will focus on permanent shunning, which is reserved for those who have left the fold. I refer to my…