I was five years old when I celebrated my last holidays. I was a child who was told in advance that this was our last year. I still remember looking at my Pac Man mask knowing it was the last night I would do Halloween. As a child I was sad, but not too depressed about it.
What was depressing is how I was treated at school. I was the child that never said the pledge allegiance. This angered several teachers. They took their anger out on me by inciting my classmates against me. I was the child who would go to the library while the class celebrated birthdays, and other holidays. I went to a very small school system. My graduating class was 43 and most of them I knew since kindergarten. I never formed one friendship with any of them. I wasn't allowed. I was very lonely, but I was lucky that my peers weren't hateful. I just didn't exist to them. I never attended Prom or any social event, except Jdub weddings and funerals.
I began giving talks like the OP, I was around 8 years old. I did all my parents asked, which was hard since my father wasn't a JW, but he enforced their rules. I never played in band or anything for that matter. I so much wanted to do field and track. I was not good at sports except long distance running. I had good endurance and loved to run. I was never allowed. My story is actually better than others in my former hall. I know many that never were allowed to go to school. I can't think of a single one that went to college, and barely any of them make a decent living. I have them on facebook, and they lament about their current life.
I'm 38 years old now, and have a 18 month old daughter. As messed up as it may be, I plan on living through her things I never was allowed to do. I had so much fun watching her open xmas gifts.
