Hello Jon
I have my bouts as well, at times. I keep reminding myself that I have chosen to take a different path and although I miss the association, I really don't miss any of the people. When I remove my desire for camaraderie from the equation, I admit that most of those with whom I once associated frequently were very shallow sorts. We spent most of our time chatting about almost nothing at all, particularly nothing important.
To address the vacancy, in terms of association, I began to take classes at the local college, online mainly. It gave me a goal and provided some interaction, meaningful interaction. Then, I found some charity that needed support, something I believed in and made it a point to make sure that I interacted with others who likewise found it meaningful.
Additionally, I reached out to family who were not consumed by the ORG, and I came to the most meaningful of realizations, namely, there are a lot of good people out there that would like to be your friend. True, genuine people who will have your back in a crisis, who will visit you in the hospital, who will hold your hand when you cry, or laugh out loud at your jokes. People, who like you, have made drastic turns in their lives and are looking for someone to help them fill their void.
One of the most crucial things you have to do is STOP THINKING LIKE A JW. No, I don't mean forget your morals or ethics; I mean don't look at others as if they are all destined for death or otherwise merit it. Believe it or not, it may well be part of your psyche. Open your eyes, grasp each day, say hello to a stranger and believe in a cause. Kindness is now my religion. It has made a difference.
With kind regard,
SOP
