Trip Through Lancaster, PA

While traveling back to Newark, DE from our Christmas break in Wisconsin, I decided instead of taking the humdrum of Interstate 95, to travel through Lancaster, PA.  Never once I thought this would become a teaching moment for Neva and perhaps for myself.  I suppose that in this day and age, a lot of us take for granted the things that are run by electricity such as automobiles, technologies (pagers, laptops, portable DVD players, and iPods).  I never really considered what kind of world Neva is seeing because, in my world, I remember the beginning of VCR, CC's, walkman, and everything huge!  However, my iPod now is like 5x smaller than it used to be and the songs do not skip because of every step (referring to portable CD/walkman) I make nor does portable DVD require an additional box to play movies.   Everything was so much simpler back then or was it?   I did not consider any of these until this afternoon when we drove through Lancaster, PA. 

Neva lives in a world where everything is automated and by the touch.  She does not understand that it is possible that people live without these things, especially electricity...at least until we drove through Lancaster, PA (hopefully).  When driving through, I noticed an Amish family walking by the side of the road and pointed them to Neva.  While doing so, I felt foolish because it was like the tourists I made fun of in D.C. :).  Neva was looking over and had a weird expression on her face and turned back to me and said, "why? it's raining!".  I was not prepared for her answer for I foresaw she would comment on the way they were differently dressed or something else).  I responded by explaining that they do not believe in relying on cars for transportation and so on forth.  The first thing that came out of her mouth was....*scoffing - are you kidding me * type of laughter.  I was taken aback!  What?!  No!  Then there went by a horse-drawn buggy with people in it and I again pointed them and Neva verbalized her favorite word, "why"?  I explained to her about the traditions and practices of Amish people and how they perceive cars and electricity and to my amazement, she thought I was kidding.  "I'm serious! Don't you believe me?!"  I never ever thought I would ask, or beg if you will, for my 5-year-old daughter to believe me!  I drove in silence for a short moment and gathered my thoughts, probably my shock.  There goes another buggy and alas, I pointed and Neva laughed.  She commented on how silly to be traveling so slow!   I was aghast.  Seriously!

There I decided was when I needed to teach her about the value of having something that others may not value as much.  I explained  A LOT about what we have that we really do not need but we choose to because we find it entertaining.   Others choose to do things they choose to because they like what they are doing (beliefs).  Neva was shocked.  She was beyond disbelief.  I was truly amazed!

So fellow readers, make sure you take a trip through Lancaster, PA and teach your children about what life is really about. :).