Welcome I-Spy! Before you get all nostalgic for the good ole dub days, let me clear up this picture for you...
My shrink said my situation was like that of a baby, all snuggled up in the safety and warmth of a cot. Suddenly, the blankets and sheets are all pulled away. The cot sides are gone and the complete security that once was is gone.
Ah yes, nothing like being curled up in a baby crib... when you're 30 years old! Those 'snuggly' blankets are actually too short so your feet are cold and you're wrapped so tightly that you can't move your arms and you can hardly even breathe... which isn't so bad, really, since the blankets haven't been washed since 1914 and are wretchedly filthy and threadbare. The sides of the crib are too high to see above, so you can only imagine the dangers lurking on the other side of those "protective" walls. And here comes "Mother" with your "food", I hope you like reheated 19th century theology! Yum, who needs nutrition when you can get brain-numbing propaganda to fill your belly.
Okay, I'm being extra sarcastic today.
I'm a fader. I certainly won't condemn you for missing the company of your family and those who were your friends. But you need to realize that the JW world is no haven of safety, warmth, and security. I've been to Bethel and back and can assure you, the "spiritual paradise" is a sham.
And once more I say, "Welcome!"
B the X