HIDDLESWIFE:
My favorite topic..As somebody who was criticized/shunned years ago in the congregation because I refused to quit my full time job, stories like this interest me.
I was treated badly in the religion and hardly invited anywhere. In contrast, you mention your relative ‘was happy for a long time and her popularity skyrocketed’. Now, she is waking up.. As you say, she now sees that all the things she did, activities and donations, etc.. “have not helped her in any shape, form or fashion”. You mention that family not even in the religion have to help her financially!
If I had listened and caved in to all the pressure years ago by the religion to quit my full time job, I would not be retired..This is a very sobering and scary thought.. When you really think about it, of what value were people’s opinions there or if they cheered her on or patted her on the back?.. What value is it if she got invited to gatherings that I was not invited to?.. All this means ZERO today.
I’m sorry for her and I am sure there are many Witnesses in the same predicament. She did ALL that work and knocked herself out for a handful of wishes.
I hope that she is able to do a little something towards retirement income. It may be too late to totally catch up but every little bit helps. Good luck to her.