Hi all - stuckinarut2's other half here.
Thank you everyone for your very kind words and thoughts - feeling the love here on the other side of the planet!
Um - I add my words to stuck's, my first thought is for those who don't have their nearest and dearest by their side, or who have been shunned by those closest to them because you now see the "truth" for what it is - a big pile of stinking lies! I feel and share your pain - we now have aunts, sister and cousins shunning us just because we are inactive (let alone awake!). But I am grateful each day that I have my closest with me in this journey to support me and discuss things with - with no judgment but true freedom of expression and thought. It is truly a beautiful thing.
Eyeuseto2badub - you said: "I think that the most significant thing is that she has seen me transfer from being an uptight, always worried, seldom happy, constantly busy with 'theocratic' activities, no fun elder, circuit assembly speaker, life time jw to now being a much happier, not too serious, content, fun loving, having time for my hobbies, non critical of others, non judgmental regular human being."
Yes, yes, yes!! That was one of the things that impressed me the most with stuck. Everything was blowing up around us, the cong was either ignoring him, or elders were pressuring to "meet", I wasn't sure which way was up, but I couldn't help but notice that he was so much happier, less stressed, more relaxed and easy-going and I wasn't the only one to notice the improvement. He allowed me to question him and he didn't judge my responses (even though some of these, I'm ashamed to say now, were very in-JW speak) - he didn't react emotionally to that, he let me say what I needed to and listened as I processed where he was now up to.
I'm an all or nothing kinda girl. So when I was a JW I was all-the-way-JW. I can well understand why Stuck didn't share his doubts and questions with me when he first started having them - I was still too-in. But he showed incredible patience with me, and he allowed me the time I needed to stop feeling guilty as my meeting attendance started to drop. He created an environment at home that was entirely judgement free which subtly let me relax! And not always be on! These things helped tremendously.
I hope that these thoughts and comments help someone else in a similar situation. Just keep showing unconditional love (a bit of a foreign concept for JWs) and be consistent in listening to your loved one, allow them to express themselves and support them as they process and think it all through. I sincerely hope that your efforts result in freeing others from JW bondage.
Love and light to all. Mwah!
Unstuck
