One of my sisters, after reading Turtle Heart, commented on how her own perspective of some things we experienced together was very different than the perspective I revealed. For example, I write about feeling scared of my dad as a child. To her, Dad was the fun parent, and she never thought of feeling scared of him, though we both respected him deeply.
Mom met an acquaintance in town the other day who had just finished reading Turtle Heart. The acquaintance, who is around the same age as Mom and grew up in the same church, commented on how Turtle Heart had shown her a very different perspective of the conservative Mennonites than she’d experienced. For example, my parents and I had Bible studies with an old Indian woman (my friend Charlene). “If I had experienced things like that growing up,” she said, “I would have stayed Mennonite.”
Both Mom and I were surprised. We thought Bible studies with old ladies was the kind of thing Christians did, Mennonite or not.
I wonder sometimes how people who are in the same place at nearly the same time can experience it so differently. I wonder this a lot, writing about Mennonites. My experience of Mennonites has been that they are flawed but sincere about their faith. Good-hearted, I would say. Flawed or no–and all people are flawed–I love their basic simple doctrine of following Jesus as a disciple, their emphasis on service and on taking the Sermon on the Mount literally.
Other people have had very different experiences. Some people who attended the same church I did. Why?
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Annalise of the Week
It was me you are writing about! Lol. My dad was so much fun. I remember him honking at things as we drove just to be funny. Sang to me in the barn because I was a grouch. Tickled my feet to wake me up. Made me run all the way from the church to home with him for fun but because I think he secretly thought i was fat. Lol!!
I wonder if it is because of different personalities? The same way two people can live together easily or fight constantly…depending on personality clashes or a personality match. 🤗😉 Every one looks at things thro different eyes. That’s why I like listening to different perspectives on any one topic! We all think differently!!
I used to think he secretly thought I was fat too, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t think either of us was. 😂
I really thought Dad was fun too and have so many happy memories of times spent with him, even though I also remember being scared. I loved his songs that fit every occasion and his stories and his big fun laugh. And his licorice and chocolate covered peanuts from Farm and Fleet!
Yes! 🥰😘 And the licorice was 😋 sorry for all these comments. U can delete. 😛
I love all your comments. 😍
Also to clarify… I meant that different personalities experience the same event differently. I 100% wasn’t saying that u and dad’s personality clashed and that’s why u thought he was a bit scary!! Because I know u didn’t clash with eachother. I’m going to get back to work now 😝😜🤪
Also in my humble opinion..Not all mennonites are good hearted. I feel like some are actually evil disguised… what do u think?
Yes, probably. I didn’t mean it as a blanket statement, just a generality of the way I think. But I think I tend to view all people in general as meaning well. Probably because the people in my life have shown me SOOO MUCH love.
Truth!!! Same! I have been shown so much love as well.
It makes me happy to see the joy that Annalise brings to her Grandma. 😊
Yes. Me too
Well, that was fun, seeing you sisters talking here!
☺️