Farm Show Musings

This week is Manheim's Farm Show. I unwittingly and single handedly became the chair of the Women's Club of Manheim booth. We do brownie sundaes, ice cream, and assorted beverages. Of all the booths it could likely be one of the easiest ones with fewest food selections, but still it's crazy and already I have vowed to never chair it again. First I have observed that unless you are a part of this madness you have no idea how much work goes into serving several thousand residents of a farm show community loads of unhealthy fat and sugar ridden deliciousness. So thank you to all those who do this year after year.

Also this week I have observed more human behavior than normal and several things keep coming forward to my mind. Teenagers are in the midst of building their social networking skills and will do quite anything to practice, including standing late at night in the rain and cold just to be together instead of home separately.

Teenage life is the same no matter where in the world you are and the religion and cultural context you take with you. Being Amish or Mennonite or Brethren may look differently through how they dress, what they drive, etc...but when you see a group of teens gathered round talking it doesn't matter, it could be practically the same conversation because learning to be an adult through experimentation is the same wherever you are.

In America, I have concluded it is a social status upgrade to be in a relationship, no matter the age, even ones that look from the outside to be ill fated and badly yoked. Is this why whole genres of books and movies are written about the male/female relationship?

Additionally when my red headed son sees another red headed boy, he started hopping around like a happy lunatic chanting, "He has hair like mine." It is crazy to realize that even at age 3 he notices the unique color and wants nothing more than to find someone like him and to fit in even in the most fundamental way. And that is what community is all about - finding the people like you and gathering together, learning how to exist in a socially complex society and loving it.

But last of all if and when you run a farm show booth know that you will be so tired and exhausted that you will fall asleep while reading to your kids at nap time. You will be praying and not realize you stopped until a full ten seconds after the initial five seconds of awkwardness because you just realized there is a problem you had not previously foreseen. And last when your husband leaves for work early in the morning after you have only been asleep a short three hours, the slight vibration of the garage door opening and shutting below your bedroom may make your half sleeping self grab unsuccessfully over your mostly naked body searching for your "vibrating" cell phone.