My best mate called me up this morning. Said he needed to tell me something. That he had been having doubts. That he had a meeting with the elders to express his doubts. That he was sure that they will not be able to provide an reasonable explaination for his doubts.
Up till this morning he didn't know that I had faded (we live a long way from each other). I have tried to bring up the topic over the last couple years, but got some company answers + a brick wall = don't want to talk about it. After this mornings chat it all made sense. To me at least. He is pretty upset, he is sure that he is going to lose everything.
He is a good man, loves his family, believes in morals and is trying his best to make this right within the framework of what he has been taught his whole life.
We talked for about an hour or so. I don't know which way he will go and to be honest that is not my concern. I only hope to be the kind of support that I would want a friend to be for me. I don't know if I was that this morning.
This organization has brought me the most amazing things - my wife = amazing, my kids = amazing, my mate and his family = amazing. That it is also a factor in the pain that affects me and mine, saddens me deeply.
I hope that one day, I will not need to lean on you guys and the other people in my life that are helping me to make sense of it all. That day is a ways off yet and I want to say thank you, while I remember and in case I forget, for everything you have done for me.
Cheers,
Ob