Be Curious, Not Judgmental…
. . . of the Amish Romance Genre
Last month, a member of my longest running book club, suggested we read a book in a genre that none of us had yet to spend any time – Amish Romance . . . And she discovered the most intriguing book: Amish Hawaiian Adventure by Wanda E. Brunstetter
This book was not going to be a Booker Prize finalist and did not receive my typical four star GoodReads rating.
Yet, the entire time I was reading the book, I knew the book club discussion was going to be epic. Full of laughter, learning a little bit about Amish culture (not from the book, but rather Wikipedia rabbit holes) and having a more thoughtful discussion about the “plot” than this book deserves.
I was also traveling to a wedding in Canada while reading this book. So I bought it on Kindle and when the Kindle was “asleep” the cover was noticeably displayed.
Of course, as fate would have it, I left my Kindle more places than was typical.
The first time, I had a sense of relief as I found it exactly where I had left it and no one, to my knowledge, saw the book cover! It’s not that I’m ashamed or embarassed about the book, I just didn’t want my first impression with people on a wedding weekend to be “she’s the one who reads Amish Romance books.”
Well…the second time I left my Kindle unattended was while I was traveling home on the plane; I left it on my seat when I got up to use the restroom. Unfortunately, I left it face up and I returned to a unmistakeably cold and judgemental look from my seat mate. It was so uncomfortable, I didn’t even care to explain.
And then there was the third time – I had just returned home and I only had a few chapters left of the Amish Hawaiian Adventure. So while my son was in Karate class, I went around the corner to the Tip Tap Room, to finish the book while sipping an Old Fashioned (my cocktail of choice when reading Amish Romance).
I finished the book.
Spoiler Alert – Barbara ended up with Gideon and Mandy ended up with Hawaian surfer Ken Williams and they all live happily ever after in northern Indiana (until the 2nd book begins - yes this was the first book in a series, that I will not be continuing).
I was in such a hurry paying for my check and running to pick up my son that I left my Kindle at the bar.
The bartender ran after me with my Kindle in hand. When I finally realized what happened, she was laughing and had such a charming look of both curiosity and skepticism. I explained why I was reading Amish Romance literature - my wonderful book club, my priceless bookish friends, discovering new genres, etc.
The bartender laughed and the next day when my son had basketball practice and I found myself once again at the Tip Tap Room - I had no shame, no sense of embarrassment; I was in a welcome place - a bar that is accepting of Amish Romance readers.
This experience reminded me of a favorite scene in Ted Lasso when he teaches all of us to “Be Curious, Not Judgmental.”
Life really is so much better when we can ask questions of one another and find out more #FunFacts. We discover people are much more interesting than they initially present. Curiousity is so much more fun then judgmental-ism.
And maybe I was in the wrong on the plane. Maybe I should have been more curious and asked my seatmate about what she likes to read. My life probably would have been better for it, and she may have a developed a different impression of the Amish Romance genre (or at least a good story to tell about Amish Romance books) - just like my bartender at The Tip Tap Room.
