I would like to start by saying the years following high school were probably even more stressful than before. The very day I graduating I moved out of my parents house, it took all of three weeks to get my next commitee meeting. I did a horrible thing by going on a graduation trip with some of my classmates, even though all did was party like it any other kid my age, which thier parents paid for thier trp it was enough for me to be disassociated, though I was not baptized at the time it was the same as being disfellowshipped. I was working for my dad at the time who was an elder who promptly fired me because he could know longer associate with me in either a work or social enviroment. This turn of events sent my life in a tail spin for probably two years. I began to do everything they tought us not to do, this lead eventually to a serious drug addiction, that if was not for one of my supposedly "worldly" friends I may not have survived. After a successful drug treatment I moved back into my parents house, six months later reinstated, two months later guilted into being baptized and then rushed into a marriage based on lust.
After we were married about two years we began to gradually miss meeetings and basically stop going in service. One night we were out having dinner with one of our married friends, I had probably five or six beers, I did'nt think anything of it at the time. About two weeks later my dad who to this day is still an elder called me and said they were planning on formming another comittee meeting on me because it was reported I was drunk at dinner a couple of weeks ago. Finally for the first time I said enough is enough, I told him to not bother scheduling anything because I was not drunk, not only that I will no longer be attending any more meetings period.
My marriage lasted another year until my wife and I realized the only thing we had in common was the religon and sex. I have attended the memorial for every year since just to keep my mom from having a heart attack. I am now remarried for the past nine yaers, I have a son who is geeting to do everything I was not allowed to do and its been the best years of my life. I have my own company that is thriving and life could not be any better. My mom still tries monthly to convience me the end is closer than its ever been, I simply change the subject or tell her that's why I live everyday like it could be my last. Thank you all for giving each of us an outlet like this, we will all have scars and perhaps a few issues, perhaps even a few charcter flaws from the religion that was forced upon us. Fortunately for most of us we were able to find our own way and enjoy life as it was actually meant to be, not how someone told us it should be enjoyed.
Thank you,