This ties in with the book club book, but I think anyone can follow along.

Here is an excerpt from the book Plain Truth, (an amish girl talking to her lawyer about her brother who left the Amish world and is off in college):

"You know what I noticed when I was with Jacob? In your world, people can reach each other in an instant. There's the telephone, and the fax -- and on the computer you can talk to someone all the way around the world. You've got people telling their secrets on TV talk shows, and magazines that publish pictures of movie stars trying to hide in their homes. All those connections, but everyone there seems so lonely."

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I've grown certain that the root of all fear is that we've been forced to deny who we are. ~ Frances Moore Lappe

Oh, yeah, I agree. I think there is far less community now than there was in the past. We keep to ourselves and talk to our "online" friends. Nothing wrong with online friends, but you have to have outside, real friends, too. Human contact is so important!!

This concrete plant nonsense has really enabled me to do something I am good at and to meet my neighbors. I have lived here for six years, too!

That is really good.

I am the same way, or we are, we keep to ourselves for the most part. I have recently ventured out and found a local Mom's group. I was very skeptical at first, thinking it would not be for me. But the Mom's that I have met are GREAT. And we get out once a month for MNO too.

You are right, human contact is very important. Sometimes you just have to talk to someone over three feet tall. Or in my case too, because I have kids taller than me...someone who doesn't want anything from you or want you to do anything for them. Ha Ha

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I've grown certain that the root of all fear is that we've been forced to deny who we are. ~ Frances Moore Lappe

The word that comes to mind for me is "isolating." With today's technology, we never have to leave the house. We can even have things delivered to our home (groceries, medications, etc.) and have very little contact with the outside world (except for the delivery person). Plus, with so many two-income families, people are too busy to have time just to hang out and chat with someone. People don't have the time anymore to really get to know their neighbors.

All these modern conveniences are great, but society has really lost that human touch.