The Amish community had dissolved over 25 years. The young people had given up simple farming for modern life. Judah had been the only kid in his class who had not left after he turned 18. But now the community had to sell the land and they were all moving to new places.
"Judah," His father said. "You are the most sober-minded among your generation. But you must try hard to hold to those good and slow things of the soul. Family. Hard earned crops. Waiting on the Lord. For the world has a powerful allure. "
"Yes, Father. I will."
"To help with this, my son, I have bought you something which I never would have thought we would need. You have always been within earshot. But when you're in New York we will need a way to stay in constant touch." He held a box out to Judah.
"Oh," Judah marveled at the smooth box, all white except for a picture of a tiny white, elegant plastic shape with a blue light on it.
For the first month Judah talked to his dad with the little white Bluetooth hands free ear piece all the time. Even between every class. But fast paced studies busied him, and a nice methodist girl with a nose ring who was in one of his group projects started waiting to talk to him after class. His conversations with his father dwindled to once for an hour most evenings. Judah was invited to join a service fraternity and was elected the secretary. These were good things but by the third month his communication with his father was down to a text or two each week.
The world indeed had a convincing allure.
And he had almost forgotten the slow and good things of the soul.
...Until he called the girl he had fallen in love with on the last night of the group project, asking her for her part of the work. He was completely overwhelmed and there was no way he could pull out a passing grade without her part of the project. She begged him to please do it for her, which she had continually done throughout the semester. But then he heard something in the background. It was a guy's voice that said, "C'mon, Baby. You gotta ask him to do it before our dates begin."
Then her muffled voice, "Shutup, Roy. I just have to get him to do this last project and then I'm done with him."
Judah called his dad in the middle of the night. It was the same firm and steady voice he was used to but it was soaked in so much love for him.
"Judah! I've missed our conversations, my son. I tried to reach ou--"
Judah broke down into tears. "I'm so sorry, Dad. You were right. I've neglected the slow and good things. I miss you."
"I'm here, my Judah. My sweet son, I'm here. I'm always here."
---
It's so easy to be pulled away from our sweet communion with God by sometimes very good things. But they lead us to forget the sweet and slow communion with our father's voice.
What has gotten in the way for you?
Raw Spoon 4/2021
