How do you feel when....

LouBelle

...when you remember that you are free from that religion?

For me, it is the best pick me up I can ever have. I may have had some really dark days, I may still, but that is the one thing that pulls me towards myself: I am free to think for myself, I am free to associate with whom I want, I am free to sleep in on the weekends, I am free of the guilt, I am free of an angry god that made me feel shit about myself.

I am fortunate enough to have put that time in my past - though I am happy to speak to ex JW's - to share experiences, to laugh, to cry and then to celebrate we are out.

I know that many of us still have people in that faith that we love. I know we wish we could break them free...something I have learnt is you cannot force anyone to see TTATT - they have to see if for themselves, they have to want to see what more there is out there. It is so wonderful that many on here publish articles that help that come about.

We are free!!! god that makes me smile from the inside out, makes me feel like I have a special glow around me, brings tears to my eyes.

Julia Orwell

The weight of the shoulders is massive. No more gnawing guilt, no more feeling you're staring into an endless tunnel of meetings, meetings, field service and assemblies. The burden of 'knowing' all these people around you are going to be killed by God - gone, and that just makes me want to shout at passersby, "JESUS LOVES YOU ALL!!"

I feel a new sense of wonder and humility that suddenly, all the answers aren't there in black and white. The answers are not in the WT - they're still out there to find! Gives me something to live for!!

Great question Lou Belle - it's good to dwell on the beauty of life restored after the monochrome existance as a WT drone.

Phizzy

I was thinking about this as I was driving along in the car this morning, the freedom I have got used to is a wonderful thing, I say got used to because for a long time now I have not thouight about Meetings etc

"The freedom is really freedom from what ? " I asked myself, and I answered it thus :

"It is freedom from bullying, the whole religion is based on bullying, to think this , do that, do even more of that, and if you get on the wrong side of 'em and they DF you, you are bullied in the very worst kind of way. "

To be truly free of the constant bullying is wonderful.

Pickler

Whenever I see groups out witnessing, particularly on weekend mornings....I'm just so so grateful & happy that's not me anymore. Free from the burden of putting in time, even when you didn't go out you felt guilty. I also remember how hard it was to go out again on week nights, when you had just come in from work.

I never have to wear skirts, blouses or heels, I haven't owned stockings for years....that is freedom. Free to make friends with whomever you want, do what you want, not feeling guilty for not having done enough. Just being free to live!

humbled

nancy drew

Life always has it's stresses but reviewing your choice to leave and the freedom of thought you have now can keep your prospective clear. I also think you need to make a list of things that make you happy and try to arrange your life so as to have as many of them as possible. i always feel better around large bodies of water especially the ocean so we worked hard at making that happen on a regular basis so now we live a block and a half from the atlantic and as I sit here and look out the window I can see the water in the distance and it makes me smile.

LouBelle

Hey Nancy drew - I love the ocean and am very fortunate to live really close to it - it's not even a 5min drive from me. I would hate to be landlocked - it would throw me. It is so wonderful to go down to the beach and just sit and look on out - sooo gloriously peaceful.

humbled

My feeling was of gratitude. Words can't say how happy I was that I hadn't died in the Borg. I lived to see the day.

I was selling my wooden spoons at our local farmers market when the "unbelieving mate" of a dear JWfriend of mine (who can't talk to me) stopped to visit about our families. He asked directly about myself and I startled him and others--I couldn't help shouting--"I'm free at last, free at last! Thank God Almighty! I'm free at last!"

Yep. LouBelle, it's always a day brightener!

How do you feel when....

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