Sometimes the greatest lessons come from stepping into another person’s world.
Not to become them.
Not to judge them.
Simply to see.
To observe.
To understand.
And perhaps to discover something about ourselves in the process.
Recently I had the opportunity to visit an Amish community.
It was one of those experiences that stays with you long after you leave.
My wife wanted to see life through their eyes.
I wanted to understand what motivates a group of people to live so differently from the modern world.
What followed was fascinating.
A DIFFERENT WAY OF SEEING
From their perspective, life is remarkably simple.
You are either Amish or English.
Them or us.
No complicated categories.
No endless labels.
Just a straightforward way of understanding the world around them.
There was something refreshing about that simplicity.
THE RHYTHM OF LIFE
Their day begins early.
Very early.
Most rise around four in the morning and retire around nine in the evening.
The pace is different.
The priorities are different.
The relationship with time itself appears different.
While many people chase time, the Amish seem to cooperate with it.
ORDER AND CARE
One thing became immediately obvious.
Their farms are immaculate.
Orderly.
Neat.
Well-maintained.
Everything appears intentional.
There is pride in stewardship.
A respect for what has been entrusted to them.
THE GIFT OF PRESENCE
Without television, internet distractions, or constant digital stimulation, something else emerges.
Conversation.
Reading.
Visiting.
Community.
Families gather.
Friends gather.
Homes are built to accommodate people rather than devices.
Large rooms connect.
Meals become events.
Relationships become the entertainment.
It made me wonder:
Have we gained technology and lost some presence?
THE HORSE AND BUGGY
Horse and buggy transportation is not a novelty to them.
It is daily life.
Men drive.
Women drive.
Children ride.
The pace is slower.
Yet perhaps that is part of the lesson.
When life slows down, observation speeds up.
LANGUAGE AND LEARNING
Many Amish children begin life speaking German.
Only later do they transition into English and formal schooling.
Multiple languages.
Multiple perspectives.
A reminder that there are many ways to educate a child.
MODESTY AND SIMPLICITY
No jewelry.
No makeup.
Simple clothing.
Simple shoes.
Few outward displays.
Whether one agrees with their practices or not, simplicity remains one of their defining characteristics.
THE IMAGE QUESTION
One custom fascinated me.
Many do not like having their photographs taken.
The reasoning varies among communities, but often reflects a desire to avoid elevating the individual above what they believe matters most.
In a culture obsessed with images, that perspective was worth considering.
THE DINNER TABLE
One evening we sat down for a traditional Amish meal.
The food seemed endless.
Fried chicken.
Meatloaf.
Mashed potatoes.
Fresh bread.
Homemade jams.
Vegetables.
Pie.
And more pie.
Food was passed carefully around the table in both directions so everyone was served.
No one left hungry.
The meal felt less like eating and more like participating in a tradition.
LOOKING AT EACH OTHER
Something amusing happened throughout the trip.
I found myself staring at them.
They found themselves staring at me.
I probably looked just as unusual to them as they did to me.
Perhaps that is one of the hidden benefits of travel.
It reminds us that normal depends on where you’re standing.
MARRIAGE AND COMMITMENT
Marriage is taken seriously.
Very seriously.
The commitment is lifelong.
The courtship process is deliberate.
Intentions are made known.
Community involvement exists.
Relationships are not treated casually.
Whether one agrees with every aspect or not, commitment remains central.
THE CORNFIELD LESSON
One of my favorite lessons came from an intersection.
I was repeatedly warned to approach certain intersections cautiously.
At first it made little sense.
There was hardly any traffic.
Then my son pointed something out.
When the corn grows high, visibility disappears.
Suddenly the warning made perfect sense.
How often in life are we unaware of dangers simply because we cannot yet see them?
THE OLD THINGS
We visited stores filled with antiques and handcrafted items.
Books.
Tools.
Kitchenware.
Clothing.
Objects from another era.
History sat quietly on shelves waiting for appreciation.
One thing became clear.
Someone knew the value of these treasures.
The prices reflected it.
THE ANIMALS
The horses.
The ponies.
The chickens.
The dogs.
They all seemed different somehow.
Not better.
Not worse.
Simply connected to a different rhythm of life.
A slower rhythm.
A working rhythm.
A grounded rhythm.
THE PAYOFF
The Amish experience is not about deciding whether their way is right or wrong.
It is about perspective.
It is about stepping outside your own assumptions long enough to see another possibility.
There are many ways to live.
Many ways to prioritize.
Many ways to define success.
Many ways to build community.
Travel teaches.
Observation teaches.
Humility teaches.
And sometimes the greatest gift is simply seeing life through someone else’s eyes.
I left with more questions than answers.
And that is often the sign of a worthwhile journey.
— Richie
Pearls for the Soul
when you feed the soul, you feed everything.
https://pearlsforthesoul.com
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