Its been almost two years since my husband passed away. I never really though about going out with anyone romantically until just recently.
I was born into the truth. I married a brother when I was 17 years old, had four children, pioneered and later became inactive and enrolled in law school. I never really dated in the true sense of the word. And it never dawned on me at anytime that I would ever date a worldly man.
Worldly men were something to be feared. Something to be avoided at all costs. All men who were not Jehovahs Witnesses were after the sisters for only one thing. They were all demonized and any sister who ever associated with them romantically was doomed for sure.
All of these warnings had been instilled in me since birth. Lessons learned that early in life are not so easily unlearned and I was a good pupil. Even during the years I went to school I was a married woman with children so it was easy to thwart all advances with the explanation of my status. Lately though it hasnt been so easy to turn men away because I dont really have a good excuse any more and I think it would sound strange if I explained that I dont trust men who are not or who have never been witnesses. It was even hard admitting this to myself.
Anyway, I decided to take the plunge.
There is a lawyer that I see all the time in Court and he always makes it a point to compliment me on my appearance and to chat me up for a few minutes. Last Friday he asked me out by saying that he had tickets to a play on Sunday and if I wanted to go. I hesitated. I was nervous. Then I decided that I had to take the plunge sometime and so I said yes. The play was Sunday and so I spend all day Saturday practicing how I would call him up and cancel. I must have picked up the phone 20 times to make the call, but finally stuck with my decision to go.
Well, guess what? I had a wonderful time and my companion was marvelous company. We saw Hairspray and then later ate at Mars 2010. It was rather a weird restaurant with Martians serving the food but we had a lot of fun and I laughed a lot.
My date, even though a worldly man did not offer me drugs, did not suggest a sexual orgy and did not invite me to partake in satanic rituals.
I feel like Ive broken a barrier and now I can envision myself living a life completely free from the witnesses.
Yes, there is life after leaving the organization.