Got an email from a "ghost" today

by goatshapeddemon 3 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  goatshapeddemon

  Ever get a letter / text / email from someone and it turns your blood cold? Like, you get it and you literally freeze and feel your spine turn solid?

  Happened to me today. An elder that I had truly loved and admired for many years as a teenager emailed me today to congratulate me on my new position at work (we're connected on LinkedIn). I haven't seen him since the day of my wedding.

  Hi GSD,

  I saw you're now <big promo at current company> and wanted to say congrats! I hope all is well with you and the family. I know you're looking forward to the Memorial tonight. Here we also have the <foreign language> circuit assembly this weekend in <new assembly hall city>. I know you're probably swamped but I saw your update and got to thinking about you so I thought I'd take this opportunity to get in touch. Please give my love to your parents if you get the opportunity.
  
  With much love, your brother - Ghost

  Makes me sad. I think about him all the time - he was the one elder that made it cool to be a JW kid. All the kids adored him. And it's one of those things - what do you say? You're worlds apart. And I *know* he knows. He's heard the rumors - the entire city I grew up in knows of the fall of the great GSD Family. Of course I'm not looking forward to the memorial - hah, I'm not even going. I wish I could just tell him... but we can't get DFd so... it's that awkward, do you respond, do you play dumb...

  *le sigh*
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  Chaserious

  He's obviously playing games, even though a nice guy. If it was me, I would respond in a day or two and not even address any of the JWisms in his message. I would tell him how great I was doing and how much I loved the job and ask how he and his family are doing. Lots of exclamation points, ya know?! I would probably do that for the principle of it, so they couldn't say I'm shunning them or whatever. Plus if it was somebody who'd been a friend at last contact and hadn't done anything personally...

  Of course, you're opening yourself up for the next message to be to invite you over for a Saturday night WT study or something, so there's that. So weird and surreal, the way an exit has to work.
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  finally awake

  That is so hard to deal with. When we were first exiting the borg I was really freaked out whenever I would get a phone call or see one of the local dubs around town. I've gotten over it for the most part, but I remember the panicky feeling and not knowing what to say or how to respond.
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  goatshapeddemon

  Thanks for your responses. Still haven't decided what to do...