by freedom96 9 Replies latest jw friends
When I attended high school as a witness, I wanted to play on the football team. I would have been very good. Not only was I not allowed to play, I could not even attend the games, for fear of bad association.
Did anyone here give up sports because of being a witness? Or perhaps other fun after school activities?
I always wanted to be on the flag team but it would take away from the meetings. I was allowed to go to games if not on meeting night. I used to feel jealousy towards the girls on the flag team. I also wanted to play softball. I am just now at 32 doing the things I wanted to do growing up. I got to be on a church ball team this summer. I had the best fun and never got corrupted.
Kay
I was on the men's gymnastics team while in HS and a witness.
Of course, it was forbidden. I got a lot of flak from the cong. and I don't think my parents attended one meet. I think one of them showed up for an exhibition at the school once. Later, my mom wanted to know what possible good I thought I could achieve or what kind of joy I could ever get with gymnastics. I was actually pretty good for the time (late 60's).
Eventually, because of my "bad associations", I left home and went to live with a couple of teammates. Was put on public reproof.
But, it was worth the hassle! Some of the best memories (and friends) of my life.
Marcos
When I was 15, I was into barrel racing my horse, and was pretty good at it. I was also Riding Club Queen for a short reign.........lol , until that fool C.O. came to town and tore my dream down. It was good , clean family fun, but he suggested we could spend more time in service, yuk. So I had to quit, I had to stop the competitons, give up my title, which wasnt nearly as bad, as giving up winning in the barrel racing. It truly broke my heart to explain to others why I wasnt riding anymore. I still rode my horse at home, but it wasnt the same as a sport. I will forever hate the way the WT took even the harmless things away from us and more or less locked us away in our rooms to study , study more WT and Awakes.
My son is 15 and we left the borg over a year ago,,,,,,,,, he wanted to go to school and play football.
And let me tell you,,,,,,,, I felt thru him every ball he caught, ever ball he didnt. The lights at the football field reminded me of the rodeo and I was so happy my son , got to play the game and fullfill his dream. He will be starting offense next year, and they are weight lifting now, to prepare for next school year. My son and husband, who coaches him with the other coaches, have become really close. It feels so good to see my kids have lives that make them happy.
I am now doing lots of things I didnt get to do as a teen,,,,, like going out dancing , playing pool with hubby, and just letting lose a bit......... My husband did give up a chance to try out for a college team because he was pioneering. It still hurts , all the things we didnt get to do. But it helps to give our children the freedom to do the things that build their self esteem and make them team players and part of the real world,,,,,, which is pretty darn good.
Riding Club Queen for a short reign
Why did you ride with a short reign? Horses and Donkies need long reigns...
LOL, Donkey,,,,,,,, but if you must know,,,,, barrel racers really do use very short reins,,,, mine were not split reins,,,,, they were one continuous rein from tip of bit to other side. They also were thick and made with rubber grips on them,,,,,,,, that way the horses sweat and your own, didnt make your hands slip. God I miss all that...
My dad was the PO and I played basketball on the high school team. He came to some of the games. It was ok to play if it wasn't on meeting nights back then in the early 50s. I could go to school events and be in clubs. I even sang christmas songs in the glee club. Being a JW wasn't all that bad for me back then.
Ken P.
My son was studying when he was asked to leave the football team and he did. He also was a very good cyclist. After getting baptized he was invited to race (and get paid) for US Postal. He could have been racing in Europe making wonderful money. Instead he's repairing RV's.
We've hung onto all his old medals and champion jerseys. I was always afraid he would toss them out. The other day when he visited he went up into his old closet and was looking through the albums and all his things. I mentioned that he'd be in his prime right now. I said imagine that, you would be waking up and climbing on his bike first thing every day, instead of going to work. He says "yeah, I know, oh well."
You bet he has some serious regrets now.
Yes,I was involved in track and feild before I became involved with the JW"s.For my age group,I was the fastest sprinter in my province.Ticks me off,what I could have made of my self in my younger yrs.Oh well,whats done is done
When I was in high school. The coach begged me be on the track team. He even had my mother come to the school to talk to him about it. But of course my mother did that whole JW explanation thing and there was no track for me. What a waste.
Years later my brother wanted to join the school band. Being the good little dub that he was my mother told him the chioce was his. She knew he would refuse. Well to her surprise he joined the bad and never looked back. Man was she mad. I love my brother. I could have never done that.
Diamond
