Many Hands Make Light Work

I dislike using cliches and hackneyed phrases but in this case "many hands make light work" - an expression commonly used by the Amish themselves - is too irresistible not to apply. There is a video going viral this week of approximately 80 Amish men moving a whole house without the benefit of machines, simply muscle.   It literally does put one to mind of 100 ants moving a log or something stunning like that. But the video is also an amazing illustration of how the Amish - as part of their culture and religion - act selflessly to help another in need without expecting anything direct in return.

I'd say there's an informal bargain among most Amish that you pitch in and help others in the church because one day you may need help yourself.  And that bargain is very poignant and well-functioning.   Rarely does an Amish person in need find themselves left alone. None of the 80 men helping to move the house are in the spotlight, they are all just working together as one and that is the essence of Amish life.

If you look closely to the left in the video frame you'll see a gathering of women watching the menfolk do the moving.  I'm sure they are making sure the men are well-fed and ready for this big move. Click here to go watch the video.  The video clip runs about six minutes and is well worth watching! I will also add that this was more than just "muscle" moving a house and plopping it onto the ground.  There's some real engineering skill needed here to pull this off.  Amish carpenters and craftsmen often have quite a skill for the nuts and bolts of moving and building items.

The New York Daily News and other mainstream media have splashed the video on their web pages.

By the way, most Amish would find the amazement of just journalistic pillars like the Daily News amusing.  This type of effort among the Amish is actually not terribly unusual.  It's unusual for it to be recorded and uploaded to YouTube, but working together for common cause is the lifeblood of being Amish. Caption:  Men moving a house, New York Daily News photo.