Hey everyone!
It's been 7 years since I been disfellowshipped and things are amazing! I still continue to grow as a person. I meet a lot of wonderful people from other religions, non religious, and exJWs community. My family is doing well!
I finally have all the people closest to me back in my life again. It took them a while to come around and there is still a few people I miss but I'm ok with the circumstances. My sister is also disfellowshipped and I'm glad she doesn't have to do it alone. My mom finally found true love at the age of 50. She has a good job and with all the struggle and hardship she deserves the best!
My father and the rest of his side I'm sure find away. After research the culture his parents may be acustom to I think I understand why they are the way they are. Japanese I assume are very private people. And that's my (dad side) grandma's heritage and value honor and shaming. With the dynamic of my (dad side) grandpa's black American side where they are dreamers ambishious and goal inspired hard workers. The mixture shows by my uncles and aunts... One is a fireman, one owns his own business, another a computer designer... My father is the black sheep so he works for his older brother. My other aunt is disabled and in assistant living. (My grandpa on my dad side died last year.) My uncle who is a business owner is also an elder. I'm sure they will be fine. (Very strict compared to how I was raised on my mother's side.)
My grandpa on my mother side took the roll as an elder with a tender heart and a good sense of humor. He didn't like the strict nature he was brought up in as a Christian Baptist and my grandma was a farm's daughter who was swept off her feet by my charming grandpa. The value they held about Jehovah Witnesses I will respect and honor. My grandpa would help anyone even if they weren't Jehovah Witnesses and said to take the Watchtower with a grain of sand... He thought they were the closest thing to the truth anyone could come to in their day and age so I believe he would be proud of me for researching and finding out all I found. (He died in 1999.) everyone respected and loved him in the circuit and he worked extremely hard to please and help others.
I found that leaving something you hold so high in your life teaches humility, self respect, and a perspective that is different but the same. As a human race we hold love and compassion as important in human nature. We grow, learn, change, but at the same time stay the same. I still have a desire to help others but now I'm free to do it on my terms and it feels more genuine.