I just cracked into my mail (I often get my US mail at my parents’ address, and collect it when I visit), and found a Christmas card from ‘Jake’ and ‘Suvilla’, Amish friends in Ohio.

Jake included a two-page letter to get me up to date with what’s been going on since my last visit.  In true Amish-letter fashion, he starts out with a fairly in-depth description of the weather (snow, freezing rain, rain, wind, more snow, happy for the warm house) before diving into community news.

Amish_letter

Community news usually includes the standard run-down of recent injuries, illnesses and mishaps.  I felt a sudden pit in my stomach when I read the line, ‘I wonder if you heard about…’ followed by the name of an Amish friend in the area. 

I expected the next line to be news of a death, but it wasn’t so.  It turns out that although this particular friend was in a fairly severe accident, he seems to be recovering well.  Thankfully.  I’ll drop a card in the mail on Monday.

Jake also reminded me about how his work place is relocating.  His daily commute will soon more than double.  Jake currently bikes to work, but with the increased distance, that will probably no longer be an option. 

Fortunately, his employer is going to take care of transportation.  Jake is not so sure that’s a good thing.  ‘I hope I won’t get too fat, you know how my wife can cook,’ he writes. 

I do know.  Be careful, Jake.

And it seems we’ll be corresponding electronically now, as Jake included the e-mail address he uses at work. 

Hand-written letters are special–mainly because no one writes them anymore.  But does this mean they could die out even among the Amish?

Technology continues its march…

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