Well, it's almost 7pm in Sydney Australia and no doubt some congregations would be starting their Memorials very soon, if not already. Due to the overcast conditions, I can't see the moon, but one of the special things about this time of the year is seeing the full moon, which reminds me of the specialness of the Memorial ritual held for me as I was growing up.
This is the second time in my entire life that I will be absent from the Memorial. It was strange last year to be not attending for the first time ever, but this year I feel more comfortable about it.
I'm not sure why. Maybe because I know that if I did attend, I'd have to partake, and that would cause more trouble for me in the congregation than I'd like. I've so far managed a fairly quiet fade-away from the "Truth", so the last thing I want is to stir up any controversy.
I probably feel comfortable about not attending because I've already shared in communion with other Christians at other occasions over the year. So in a way, my conscience is clean because I've already shown my acceptance of Christ's sacrifice, and thus don't need to attend a rejection ceremony (aka the Memorial).
For those who have only recently left the "Truth", is this time of the year hard for you? Is your conscience bothered slightly because you're not attending the Memorial, or have you come to terms with your feelings about the Borg? Do you feel the need to partake, or is the whole ceremony a memory you'd rather forget?