by minimus 41 Replies latest jw friends
Would you have gone to college?
Would you have gone to jail?
Would you have been wealthy?
Would you be happy?
I know you could never know for sure where you would be in life, but I wonder if many of us would've gone to college, would've stayed out of trouble, would've been very happy.
I would have graduated college at the age of 22, instead of 39. I would have chosen a career instead of getting stuck in a job that I picked because I was supposed to dedicate my life to preaching. It would have been a fulfilling career, like medicine or social action. I would have married a man because he was the right partner for me, not because he was a Witness. I would have had more children, instead of the one I finally managed when I was 42 years old. Yeah, life would have been vastly different. I missed my whole childhood and I had to learn how to live when I was an adult. But you know what, I'm lucky, because I made a go of it in spite of the JWs and I'm here and I'm happy.
Yes, I wanted to be an Architect, I had 5 years of Architectural and Mechanical drawing under my belt through Junior High and High School. Had my College all picked out in Northern California. Then my mother wanted to 'get back to the Truth', she had been raised as a Bible Student and then a JW, she left during Rutherford's tenure.
Do you know what a Felony (Draft) does to your record and prospects.
I would have gone to university. I think I may have been the type to use drugs. My life my have been better or worse, who knows?
In some ways being a JW in my teen years was a protection. In other ways it was damaging.
I would not have dropped out of college. I would have been a history teacher or an accountant. I would have definitely been better off materially.
My family probably would've never pushed college, even if they weren't Witnesses.
Yes, I think my life would have been very different. It's hard to say exactly how because I was raised from birth and my mother's family were all JWs. But I believe my immedidate family would have been closer and had more trust of each other.
I would have had better social skills growing up.....I'm fine now, but the inferiority that comes with being "different" and not different in a good way is something that leaves permenant scars. Going to the library during Xmas parties, B-day parties, Halloween parties, and Valentine exchanges sure makes an elementary school kid feel like an outcast. Along with not playing sports, or going to college when you get out of High School because you are going to make a career out of "Pioneering" when no one you go to high school with even knows what the hell pioneering is.
drew- I remember that look 'you did what on Saturday!'
How about the look you get when you call on a home where your classmates live? Thoroughly embarassing!! I remember one pioneer friend of mine.....He was a riot. I was about 18 at the time and we were out in service with a young witness who was probably 13 or 14. We were in his neighborhood and passed a few of his classmates who were standing on the sidewalk. The young witness says, "I don't want them to see me" and covers his face with his hand. The older pioneer started honking his horn and saying "Jason Lang is right here" pointing at young Jason who was thoroughly embarassed. It was funny, and it still is. The older one is now a C.O. in the Dominican Republic, and the younger one left years ago. Maybe a little off topic, but it was a memory that was just jogged reading Design's last post.
