What a ride it has been!
I was [and had been for a full year] sure that leaving the JW's was the right thing to do, before I showed up here. Still, the journey was just underway then, and this forum has been a wonderful aid in that journey.
I remember the first few weeks, when I discovered that some of the posters here [Mouthy, jst2laws and his wife (joysabelle I think)] had aided me earlier thru emails in the first of my earliest contacts, before I knew of JWD. And those posters who immediately got my attention [Ozzie, Blondie, LittleToe]. It didn't take long to realize just how 'green' I was in the world of XJW's. I soon discovered Narkisos and AlanF and Leolia who showed me how to reason beyond JWism.
Along the way there have been far too many posters to mention by name - and although there have been disagreements at times, not a single moment on these forums has failed to educate me in some way positive. For that I thank you all.
Along the way I have made some real friends. Some of those friends I only know by voice, or digitally thru the words they write. Others Wifey and I have been privilaged to meet in person. Still others we hope to meet. I must recognize the 'handles' of two or three hundred here, and many I have come to love and appreciate in so many diverse ways. It has broadened my life to have been allowed to be part of your community here.
About the time I started posting here, life got very busy, and a little complicated for us in some ways. Our daughter became indisposed, and Wifey and I became grandparent/parent surrogates at the ages of 47 and 49. Our home became like a home of 20 or 30 somethings, instead of pre-retirement, middle age, quiet, surroundings. I have not watched a football game in peace since. And I don't care. I have three wonderful grandkids living here, and I think it is keeping us young. We have been privilaged to watch them grow from newborn, 3 and 5 yrs old - to 2+, 5 and 7 yrs old. And we have shared some of that here.
I think the double blessing of finding JWD and 'inheriting' our g-kids has been the best thing that could have happened to us in our post- JW life.
And while some feel the need to 'move on' from JWD, I think I will stick around a while longer. I go thru spells where I don't post much, and spells where I am sure that addiction to cocaine would be easier to kick. But I think overall it has been good for me.
This forum aided me thru the act of DA'ing a couple months back. I could of done it without you, and would have. But it was nice to 'sound off' and test my thinking here. I have found artist, and wordsmiths, and liberals and conservatives and pagans and Christians and persons of charity and selfish persons, sports fans, and sex fiends, young and old and in between, passionate people, and some depressed souls, and one funny little green claymation character that always makes me smile, the little Gumbastard. Mostly I have found people that I like - and a few that I don't. But I am happy to have been part of it.
My, what changes have occured for me in that short time. Wifey and I now celebrate all b-days and holidays without a hint of guilt. I registered to vote in the mid-term elections this time [sadly I was denied due to a registration error]. I regularly discuss politics and all sorts of religion with my friends both here and in person. My view of life is completely different now, sans the brain washing. And you good folks helped me to shed the mind control much more quickly than I could have otherwise.
Well - I realize this is a ramble. My brain is tired due to long days at work this week. [Today 15 hours - last week a couple of days close to 17] So I apologize.
Just didn't want to miss the 'anniversary' opportunity to say THANX ALL.
If you will have me, I'd like to stay. Maybe someday someone will be aided by my presence here. If not, I am still having fun at trying to help where I can, joke where appropo, and smile.
Jeff
