Few weeks ago, I invited my JWs daughter for a formal dinner. I asked her to bring her closest JWs friends, including an elder from her KH.
I let her know that I didn't have any hidden agenda on my part.. that I just wanted to have a good time with her and that I wanted to honor her friends.
She asked me how many she could invite; I said no more than six.
She invited three. Like I said, including an elder.
My husband cooked a delicious meal for them... BUT JUST TWO DAYS before the event, I started to get 'cold feet'. Why? because I realized I was going to get a sharp knife on the back of my daughter, Bluesapphire, since her sister was shunning her 'big time' and she was been very sensitive about it, and so did I! The thing is, I wasn't telling Blue about this invitation, which make matters worse; so I talked it over with my husband, with my daughter, the one I live with, whom I take care because of her brain tumor. They both told me, "don't cancel"... my husband offer me to cook, so I wouldn't be to stress out.
I thought about all the threads I have read from all of you on this blessed forum. I recalled especially the ones that when I have read them in the past, I understood it was good for JWs to spend time in a regular environment with the "worldly people" so they can start thinking, "after all, the worldly people are not monsters".
The day of the dinner I was calm and happy. We all received them with an open heart. We laugh and laugh and we were all very silly telling anecdotes to each other. We embraced, we shared, we played. And we prayed before dinner at the table. I offer my daughter's friend to help her moved to her new place and she looked very impressed by me asking to help her move.
They left very content and the following day, my JWs daughter called me to thank me and she said her friends told her what a genuine love we showed them... and I owed all to this forum... what I learned here is invaluable, and I want to thank Simon and Angharad for their sacrifices, so that people can live a peaceful life among themselves regardless their differences...
Only two weeks ago, I confronted my JWs daughter with her shunning her sister; we talked for an hour and we both cried a lot. It was very deep and touching "just a motherly thing asking her why she chose to make me so sad". So, that gave me the peace of mind I needed to face my sweet Bluesapphire.
Love, and keep this board clean of hate. Instead, love, love, love and more love.
Your friend,
Yadira
