If you're a good Amish girl, you're courting, you have three or four different beaus, and you go out and stay out all night. That's just their tradition. They date under the covering of night. No one knows who they're dating or seeing until two weeks before they're going to be married. It's how they've done it for 300 years.

In this quote, Beverly Lewis discusses the unique dating customs within the Amish community, where the process of courting is markedly different from mainstream practices. She explains that, according to Amish tradition, a young Amish girl often has multiple beaus and participates in private, somewhat secretive courtship. The idea that the young people "date under the covering of night" reflects the discreet and modest nature of Amish relationships, where public knowledge of romantic involvement is intentionally kept to a minimum.

Lewis highlights that this form of dating is guided by longstanding Amish traditions, where the details of a romantic relationship are not disclosed until very close to the wedding. This practice, which can involve secrecy and mystery, is rooted in the community’s values of privacy, modesty, and careful selection of a life partner. The Amish culture discourages public displays of affection or premature commitment, making it a unique and private affair that contrasts sharply with more public and modern dating practices.

The reference to Amish courtship also reveals the tension between tradition and modernity. While the Amish community has maintained these practices for over 300 years, they remain largely insulated from contemporary dating norms. Lewis points out the consistency with which these customs have been followed, highlighting their significance within Amish culture and their role in shaping how young people come together in marriage.

Ultimately, Lewis’s quote illustrates the Amish approach to courtship—a process rooted in tradition, privacy, and gradual progression toward marriage. It contrasts the Amish way of doing things with the more open and less restrained dating practices in wider society, emphasizing the cultural differences in how romantic relationships are approached and understood.