by codeblue 69 Replies latest jw experiences
Welcome, Lil OLady!
I can identify with so much that you said...all the little 'hold-overs' like not being able to wrap packages...
This thread is healing. I enjoy reading through it. So many people choose this thread to make their first post....
It is so good to know we are not alone. Thank you, everyone.
-LisaBObeesa
I got to this thread late, but yes I was raised through my child and teenage years as a dub. I got out when I went to college. I really missed out but made up for a lot of it in college.
I did have a boyfriend every once in a while and did fun...er...things with him when I could sneak out. Other than that it was hard for me to maintain relationships. While I had friends in high school...they quickly dissolved as I could not maintain them if I was not allowed to call them or hang out with them.
I was very depressed and suicidal as I did not really fit in with kids in the kingdom hall because I was not "spiritual" enough and was left out of a lot of activities. For the kids that were rebellious like me...my parents hardly let me hang around them because they were bad association! Even though they were just like me! grrr...not fair.
I did skip classes a lot to hang out with my friends and we smoked pot before school every day (I was an honor student with little effort, incase you were wondering if my grades suffered).
While I am in a commited relationship and do not get to "sow my wild oats", Mike and I have a lot of fun anyway and I do not feel so bitter...
I also wanted to add that I feel my social skills were greatly affected, but I am making up for it. Lately, at school around lunch time I hang out in the student union. If I see just one person who I am familiar with, I am fine. I can join that person and do very well meeting the people they are around and feel comfortable about cracking jokes and being myself. I notice that it is very easy for me to make people laugh and even if I say something very stupid, I can make fun of myself and make jokes out of it. A lot of people (in a school of 10,000+) are even starting to recognize me or my name (from a school network called First Class that has forums where I post a lot) and will seek me out to meet me. It means a lot to me and gives me even more confidence.
Yes.... and yes I experienced all that you describe..
I have been out around 10 years and grown a lot.
A friend said the other day that he feels I am a 'Late Developer'
That hurt, but he was right.
I regret that.
A
I was raised JW since age 4. And yes, pretty bad being in while teenager, especially being an elders daughter, and having strict parents. I remember the phrase, still rings in my ears, just like it was yesterday "YOU CANT, how would it look, you are elders daughters". Those years are already such a difficult time of life, the borg adds 10 more tons of pressure, to what already is a hard time of life.
I was a late bloomer too because of it.
I've been reading these forums for about a week before I got the nerve to post a reply. So here it goes..... I was raised a dub from age 4 (when my mom married a JW) to age 16 when I moved out (or should I say "RAN" out) My new Step-father was physically Abusive and a control freak. My early teen years were resticted to meetings and school. When I left home I did not end up a preg. drug addict. Although I did marry the first boy who looked my way and spent the next 10 years with a drunk, abusive husband. After a long walk on the road to self discovery, I have found myself. I'm currently in a loving heathly relationship with the man of my dreams. And he's not JW.....who would have thought!! I have 3 teenaged sons and live vicariously through them.
You are all a wonderful support to each other, keep up the good work!
Welcome Lilac5! I just wanted to see if you were a new poster since I used to use the name Lilacs. Nice to have you here.
I've never used a forum before so I'm learning as I go. You guys are the greatest, with your help I've learned to laugh at things, that in the past would make me cry.
Well, be warned. There will be post here that will make you cry like a baby at times. Some sad stories are told here. They will break your heart.
I still haven't figured out how much of my current social alienation stems from being a teenage "truthie" (kinda like a groupie) and how much of it is just me. I never truly felt "at home" with my family who were very close-knit and up to their eyeballs in JWism, never fit in with witness kids (even though I tried and may have appeared to), and never felt drawn to "worldly" kids and social events either.
Even before my teenage years, JW religion was entirely unsatisfying to me and I felt that it offered nothing more than pseudo-spirituality, pseudo-science, choppy history, and bad personal advice. There were never many kids my age in the local congregation and it would not be stretching the truth (!) to say that my best friends were always trees, rocks, animals, music, and books (not published by the WTBTS).
I haven't even felt that I fit in here at all until someone gave me first electronic hug. (Thanks for that, by the way!)
