Are there things you can't get rid of?

faundy

For instance, I still can't bring myself to say 'bless you' when someone sneezes. I still cringe when saying 'good luck' and even now I feel I am being really naughty when shopping for a birthday card for someone.

Are there any others who are the same?

Brother Apostate

I can't get rid of dust, dirt or garbage, they always seem to come back no matter how many times I eliminate them.

BA

White Dove

Holiday well-wishing is hard, like Merry X-mas and happy birthday. To say it is really hard.

Saluting the flag is nearly impossible for me because that is the very first and earliest "no, we don't do that" of a kids life. The holiday no-no's come after they start school and learn that they exist.

faundy

BA, smart-ass comments (or attempts at them) get tiresome after a while, you know.

momzcrazy

I just can't bring myself to throw the old publications in the trash or shredder. Or the pledge of allegience. But the holidays? Going crazy...been wanting to do them forever!!!

momcrazy

faundy

I agree with the thing about the books, and have still got most of my library. This isn't because I want to look at them, rather that I actually don't want to throw any books away; I love books and to throw any book away is very difficult for me- they sit in a box under my bed until I can decide what to do with them. I got rid of magazines and KMs, etc, but the main books I have kept.

Maddie

Hi faundy

Yes it feels strange to do the things you mentioned and sometimes I listen to people who are not JW's who haven't got any hang-ups and it amazes me. Being a JW makes us all so supersticious about things and fearful. Hopefully it passes with time.

Maddie

BBOARD

Let me take some weight off ...

This is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Just like myself, since we were young, we were engraned with a though pattern and "righthearted" lifestyle of service to an organization (supposedly backed by Jehovah) that you finally have come to realize that is all a scam and pointless.

Just the mere fact that you have grown up as JW and finally were able to get out is a marvelous acomplishment just in it self.

You have nothing to worry about. Simply take your sweet time. If it takes you a year or even more to slowly begin saying "bless you" then so be it. Silly as it is, it took me two and a half years to even start say "bless you" to my dormmate (who I am no longer with anymore) - he didnt bark back - he simply said "thanks man" - and then I knew I could still be normal again.

Gopher

After being out so many years, none of that stuff seems to bother me any more. The one that's hanging on the longest for me is the icky feeling surrounding possibly receiving a blood transfusion (I hope I never need one).

To be honest, those little things that people do that we couldn't as a JW (saying "good luck" or "happy birthday", for example) felt weird at first. But I just pressed ahead and did them anyhow, and lightning never struck! So it was probably okay, LOL.

I think we just have to ignore those little voices in our head that hold us back from doing something we really know is okay. After a while, if you ignore them long enough, those voices diminish or disappear.

Brother Apostate

BA, smart-ass comments (or attempts at them) get tiresome after a while, you know.

My advice to you is eat a box of raisin bran daily until you loosen your anus, anal retentive one. BA- Get over it. Deal with it. Grow up. PS- Back on subject- I also can't get rid of pests, I eliminate them, yet they still come back.

Are there things you can't get rid of?

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