Each of us can recall the time we thought we knew better than our parent(s) as to what and whom our future should include. We placed our own interpretation on events and conversations but believed them to be the “only” truth or possibility. A young girl (Ella) is somewhat determined to force a future which includes plans to join a church primarily to marry a young man she has known most of her life. She is a Mennonite and he is Amish. Her goals include going to school to become a baker and has dreams of owning her own store but will becoming Amish be the beginning of the end those dreams? Circumstances create a distance between them from Pennsylvania to Indiana and they appear to be determined to be together.
This book speaks to a family and a history that does not become clearly understood and questions are left hanging for decades until a diary written in some kind of code by a great-grandmother can be deciphered. At the request of Ella’s grandmother, she takes the diary to discover its secrets. What she learns in the process opens her hear to understand other things about herself, the questionable infant death of an unbeknownst uncle (her grandmother’s only son), and also her own mother which leads Ella to finally forgive her absentee father.
Ella’s future changes, however, she does realize all of her goals in ways she did not see coming AT ALL.
Being “Plain” does not mean being simple minded or boring. It does however include commitment to God, family unity, and being equally yoked. Personally, I believe the same and I am neither Amish nor Mennonite. Each religion has a written reference. For me it is the Bible so feel free to check out the love chapters, more commonly known as the Corinthians.
No comments:
Post a Comment