Every so often, I will get invites to social gatherings from people from my old congregation (not the one I currently attend). Recently, it was for a High School graduation of the son of people I grew up with.
So, a curious thing happens (and happens every time I go to one of these things).
The old timers start quizzing me about my mom (who hasn't gone to meetings in years) and my brother (who has spotty attendance, apparently), and they assume that I am still attending regularly (I don't volunteer anything different).
I really resent being interrogated about my family members, it's like I am volunteering information to "Big Brother". I just came to have some semi-warm chicken and casserole lasagna, bring a card, and see some friends! If you want to know what's going on, get off your ass and send a card to my mom or brother directly!
Same thing with my uncle (mom's brother). Calls me up, starts the interrogation in about 60 seconds, can't find anything else to say, doesn't seem real interested in stories about my kids and their accomplishments, or anything very interesting in his life. But "are you going to meetings?" THAT's the big question.
And then the same old same old about how things are moving along quickly, the end is almost here. Gee, I heard this at MY high school graduation, 30 fricking years ago! Get a new song to sing, please!
I really feel sorry for these old people, waiting at a train station for a ride that is never going to come, meanwhile, the grass has grown over the tracks, their lives are irretrievably spent on nothing, their spouses and friends are all dying from old age and age related illness, they have family members they haven't spoken to for years over worthless "stands for the Truth."
Talking to the graduating kid, he's going to Pioneer (tm) and then start working for his dad. No talk of college, no talk of additional training. Welcome to the rest of your life, kid.
Talking to another, a young girl, surprise, she IS going to college in the fall, as soon as she decides where to go (it's a little late in the summer to start thinking about it, but, HEY, it's promising, anyway.) Good for her! I nearly shout.
I am so glad that quit buying into the bull when my kids were still young. They never got indoctrinated, and they smell it for the excrement it is. And what I find so interesting is that they are so...normal. Other than the normal teenage angst and worries, I haven't had to deal with drugs, drinking, skirt chasing, delinquency or all those other things that we were so constantly warned about that "worldly teens" experience. They are, in a nutshell, 'good kids'. Their teachers at school think they are great (high scores on their AP tests, one kid is probably going to be Valedictorian (in a very high expectations type of High School)), their employers wish they had more workers like them, they have decent friends that I don't worry about them hanging out with. Kids any parent would be proud to know and grateful to call their own. Of course, my mother in law (their grandmother) thinks they are disappointments, because they don't have any interest in "The Truth'. Amazing!
Sorry, I got off on a ramble, but once I got typing, I went into "free form". Anyway, thanks for reading my vent....