help appreciated...any success or failures at truly conscious efforts to make new friends after a life in jwland? As a very social person i still only seem to have ex-dubs as my new friends...

by oompa 28 Replies latest jw friends

  • Giordano
    Giordano

    We are social animals and we do need companionship. Over the years I discovered ways to develope relationships. I'll tailor them to someone who is not going to have a wife/husband by their side.

    Instead of thinking in terms of friendships think in terms of commonality. If you have something in common it's easier to enjoy some level of companionship on a regular basis. For instance I play chess once a week at my local library and or the coffe shop. A number of people I play with have become friends. It's a slow and casual process but we had a common purpose (to improve our game and kick one anothers butts). Meeting once a week provides an opportunity to get to know one another. Bowling with a group accomplishes the same thing. Swimming laps doesn't.

    I do volunteer work but it was only when I was asked to be on the board did I have the opportunity to really get to know the others. Shared work and shared responsibilites created opportunites for friendships to develop.

    I noticed that my wife enjoyed lunch with her girlfriends, one day I kidded her that I was never invited. She counted that if I wanted lunch partners call some guys. I thought about it and did so. A friend accepted and we had lunch, the conversation was great and a few lunchs later I invited another friend from the chess group and that worked out well. We talk about books, movies a little bit of current events..... the conversation goes where it goes. When I discovered this site I told them about ex witnesses and what my experience was like. They were agast at what it's like to be a JW.

    So look for something that you would like to do or be a part of that other people are interested in and where there are opportunites to meet together on a more or less regular basis. Or buy a Harley Davidson and you'll have instant friends LOL.

  • anniegirl76
    anniegirl76

    Oompa,

    Try volunteering...anywhere schools, hospitals, red cross. It's very possible you may run into the same people at different functions, at least you would have that in common and a starting point. You might try going to different churches also, awkward at first, but it gets easier. Life is going to be very difficult with a JW spouse, I hope and pray all will work out for you.

    anniegirl76

  • oompa
    oompa

    robert7 is a friend of mine here and so is his wife...but i cant even remember her name here lol...it has been so long since she posted. his wife recently told me that even with two small kids and thus school events and lots of contact with other parents....and living in great neighborhood...that making new friends is an interesting challenge...

    she really enlightenend me that once you get into your thirtys or more....people have kind of a set group of friends and are comfortable with that group....so they are hesisitant to really embrace a newbie....they dont really need you after all. that is true somewhat i think for those in their teens and twentys too i think

    coffee house girl has the best idea i think....move away and start over!!!!...........wish i could....it is so much harder when you have your own established business....it has been good to me, but now it traps me even more...........oompa....thanks all

  • carla
    carla

    Something I have noticed over the years with many threads of this nature is that you guys don't give friend relationships time to mature and grow. Just my opinion of course but maybe all the years in dubland with instant friends out of the box you simply do not know how to allow things to grow naturally. One other thing I have noticed is that you (ex jw's) often will not call somebody and just go for walk, lunch, dinner, movie, etc..... Give someone a call and make that first move! You may find a friend of a lifetime! just because they may say no does not mean they do not want to see you, they may truly be busy, try again.

    Oompa, take a fun class and meet people with similar interests, volunteer, book club, book store some night they have entertainment, volunteer for a band you like to be a 'roady'? well, maybe too much drinking there but you get the idea. Look in your local paper for volunteer opportunities in things that interest you. Give relationships time to develop and be the one willing to set up things to do.

  • undercover
    undercover

    I've always been somewhat socially inept, even as a JW. So learning how to make friends and being a friend is hard. I grew up pretty much entertaining myself and didn't have a lot of playmates or friends as a youngster. So now I have no real problem spending time alone or not having to have a social event to attend or even someone to talk to, aside from my wife. But that puts extra pressure on me when I am in a social setting, trying to be myself, yet not be a totally dissassociated (not in the JW way) and introverted person sitting in the corner avoiding human contact.

    But - as I started trying new experiences and frequenting new hangouts I started meeting people who totally shattered the JW concept of "worldly" people. I met good, honest, friendly people. Of course, along the way, I met some real assholes. But the cool thing about meeting assholes away from the JW setting is that I don't have to deal with them. I can take my leave of their presence whenever I want. I don't have to pretend to appreciate/like/respect them out of some misplaced loyalty to a book publishing company.

    And over time, I made friends with some of the cool people I've met. And I've actually made friends with people I never really planned on making friends with. As I made my way out into the real world, I met and then kept running into some of the same people over and over. Over time I got to know them somewhat and then after more time, started associating in other ways outside of where we met or would run into each other.

    It doesn't happen overnight. You kinda just have to let things progress naturally. I'd go to a place/event not intending to meet anyone, but to enjoy the event/experience but then I would meet people with similar interests.

    One hard part is that you have to learn a whole new way of dealing with conflicts and misunderstandings, different than how you did it at the hall. Once you learn it's better; no hidden agendas, no hierarchy. Being used to dealing with passive agressiveness in most JWs, it took a bit of getting used to people who asserted themselves and spoke plainly. But it was a good thing in the long run.

  • MrFreeze
    MrFreeze

    I have found friends through employment mostly. Fortunately, also, my brothers never got into jwdom so I have found friends in their friends as well.

  • jamiebowers
    jamiebowers

    In general, I think it's important to note that "worldly" friends are different than jw friends. "Worldly" friends have a variety of pursuits that may not include all or most of their crowd, whereas jws do not. For instance, my computer guy and I are very good friends, but we only see each other when True Blood is on HBO, when my computer needs repair, and a few summer parties. We're both busy with life and have other friends who aren't mutual. Jws spend significant portions of their time doing the same thing as their friends like attending meetings and conventions, field service, etc., and most of ther friends are mutual.

    Oompa, since you are a business owner, why not join your local Chamber of Commerce? It would also be a good idea to explore clubs such as the Kiwanis, Lions, Optimists, or Rotary.

  • 1975
    1975

    Giordanc, great post!!! Sad to say, making genuine friends is a rarity. I have oodles of acquaintances. Your on the right track.

    1975

  • LongHairGal
    LongHairGal

    OOMPA:

    The "friendships" in the religion can hardly be called that. They are conditional. I was treated like crap in the JW religion so the fact that anybody wants to "shun" me now is a laugh. In my case, it is really not much of a loss but maybe for you it is different and you miss whatever friends you did have.

    I see that even though you are married, you still need to connect at some level with other people outside the marriage.

    My circumstances are different from yours. I am a single working woman. But, what I have observed over my life is that some friends are only there for certain periods in your life and they don't last forever (such as when you say you wish you had kids in school). My Mom had certain "friends" when us kids were in grammar school. But, as time went on they faded away. So, not much permanence there. Also, there are friends people make in high school or college. Sometimes you correspond with one or two over a lifetime but where did the rest of them go?

    The reality that I have observed is that when people get to a certain age, they have already made whatever friends they are going to have. In many cases, their family and relatives are their friends and they don't "need" anybody else. This is why people who get divorced in middle age (not just people who leave a stifling religion) find they are like a fish out of water and that the world has passed them by. Don't let this get you down because it got me down for a while when I first started my "fade" from the JW religion ten years ago. It was a very rude awakening to see what happens when the years go by and you have to re-establish friends. I haven't made too many but I am settled at least.

    As far as the bar scene is concerned, forget it. Friends (male or female) made through the veneer of alcohol just aren't the same as friends made in daylight (just my opinion). I never felt right when I was sitting in a bar and this was both before and after I was in the JW religion. It is a meat market and the whole atmosphere is just not right.

    Some people have luck with those online things but I confess I do not have the courage to do that. I cannot be bothered trying to peel away the layers of mystery.

    Just stay involved with things in your community and you will make a friend or two. Good luck.

  • TotallyADD
    TotallyADD

    Thanks Oompa for the good thread. I am taking notes. Even though my wife and I left the cult together it is a new experience for me. Like you I am a social person my wife is quite happy being alone. I see it will take alot of work on my part to make new friends. Please let us know how things are working out for you and I will let you know how it is working for me. Take care. Totally ADD

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