Simple, yes. Easy, no.

Had my 'Tuesdays with Meers' today. Which means dragging my carcass out of bed long before the cowboy-favorite first light, tapping a vein to administer caffeine therapy, and hauling myself down the two hour road to the City.

On the way there this morning, I was driving through a small town (aren't they all?) called Jamesport. This particular town is unique in that it has a large population of Amish people, who have turned it into as much of a tourist attraction as is possible, really, for this area. You can go to Jamesport and get beautifully hand-crafted furniture, homemade canned and baked goodies, jams and jellies and spices and baskets and plants and all kinds of wonderful stuff. The skill and artistry that goes into these things - without the use of technology - is incredible.

I have the utmost respect for the Amish, especially the womenfolk. They cook without microwaves, sew without electricity, clean their houses without vacuums, raise passels of children without Clorox Antibacterial Wipes, cultivate beautiful gardens without Miracle Grow ... Their resilience amazes me. I know it's not just a way of life for them, it's also their religion. But I can't possibly fathom how hard it must be for them to KNOW there's an easier way and still choose to reject it. To be around people who use modern tools and technology, to even see those things in action, and yet choose the more difficult lifestyle.

Honestly, before I drove through Jamesport just this morning, I hadn't thought about this much. But can you imagine what the conversations must sound like with their kids as they grow up? 'Hey dad, how come we don't drive cars?' 'Hey mom, what's mascara for?' 'These chores sure would go a lot faster if we had a tractor like Billy does.'

Sometimes I think it would be heaven to just chuck everything that 'makes your life easier' into a big dumpster. Enjoy total simplicity. In my mind, it's a beautiful, uncluttered thought. Then I get an email from a friend and I use my credit card to buy a tank of gas for my car and I make a 500-mile road trip to go see her. And then I have to admit that the Amish lifestyle is something that I can truly appreciate and respect, but not so much so that I'm going to go enlist.