no life is ever wasted.
Somewhere, sometime, somehow, everyone said or did something to help or influence another.
That, my friend, surely counts for something.
I guess that does count for something...in some small way. But if a talented, gifted person had pursued a different course in life...used their talents to inspire, teach, heal, lead or serve people on a more substantial level than just selling magazines and spreading hope of a Paradise that doesn't exist, wouldn't that have counted for much more?
A friend of mine committed suicide because he couldn't fit in the JW pattern of life. He was too talented, too gifted. He could have been a force to reckon with in his talented field. He wanted to pursue those talents but he was constantly berated for allowing outside interests to keep him from serving the bOrg. In the end it was easier to not exist than to exist under the thumb of oppressive rule.
A close family friend, JW, died this past year. Lovely woman. Nicest person you could meet. She was an inspiration to her JW family because of her smile, her tenderness, niceness, and toughness when facing cancer as it slowly killed her. At the funeral, her accomplishments were listed. Served at Bethel, served as a Pioneer, served as a loyal wife, served as a dedicated publisher. Okay, so her JW grandkids were inspired by her, but what else did she really accomplish in life? She raised a family in the "truth". Check. It can even be argued that her inspiration to her grandkids is a detriment to them. She's inspired them to remain close to Jehovah the organization...to remain in the cult...not pursuing their talents or gifts that could be better used than selling magazines.