Thank you for such a warm welcome. :)
My story will probably come in bits and pieces, although I can be quite long winded at times. As for the older sister...we had always been closer because she could see how much in need I was of serious counseling instead of being hauled before the committee of elders. She secretly took me to see a shrink, but of course that was short lived because of having her own family responsibilities. Time and circumstances simply drew us apart...and her own "insanity" became something I could not deal with because she was unwilling to let go of Jehovah and that side of family. By this time none of us where children and had lots of practice in how too let go of family due to the shunning. I don't believe it's that common of practice for many families such as I came from to seek help for another, sad as that is. And, too, guess sometimes it's necessary to allow the individual to walk their own personal journey without interference. I certainly would not have listened, didn't listen, to some who had my best interest at heart. Such is life.
As for the year 1975, sure glad I can find some humor with that now. My son, an only child, was born that year. There was a period when I really thouht to return to the KH, but fortunately that was short lived; and he was not subjected to their gross wickedness. Today I'm granny to 3 beautiful and delightful children that I would fight to the death in protecting from the likes of what many of us grew up knowing.
Then there is the story of my only brother who at the tender of age of 4/5 was so tramatized thinking he would die because he ate a carrot at a home my mom studied with the woman, and the husband was prone to seizure's; the elders saying it was because he was demonized. I've not thought of that story in many years - and believe me it literally brings tears to my eyes, and a weight in my heart.
Today that brother is 40 years of age; alcoholic, former abuser of his own family, and hates the JW's. Such wickedness that has been resurrected because I don't want to be so detached that I forget the agony and despair that are commonplace with that religion.
Told ya I can be longwinded.
Granny...who adopts folks of all ages. Oh, my mother's family is now into 5th generation JW. SICK!