Hi there,
I find the choices presented to you are very difficult when your family are witnesses. Because you have decided you dont agree with things about it enough to want to live your life differently, you're looked on as doing the hurting to the family. For example my daughter had been to the circuit assembly and said my mother had been crying because I wasnt there, (not been going for two years now) I said to my daughter why cant she be happy that I am happy not going? If I went to please her I wouldn't be happy - and thats the dilema if you please others to the detriment of yourself then somethings gotta give. Doing something that makes your unhappy or disagree's with you will boil up inside you with worse consequences.
I think you have to remember what it was like to be a witness - how it was the only right way to live and that the idea of walking away from it is pure madness! Its only when you allowed the binkers off your eyes and started to see the bigger picture that you see its just one of many many alternative's.
Unfortunately I have made some mistakes after being free of the watchtower, mainly due I think because I had little ability to make choices for myself and a severe reaction to wanting to get as far away from that life as possible. I'm glad to be in the knowledge I now hold about it, but its so hard knowing that because you no longer agree with something, you're cut off. I guess our frustration that our loved one's cant see the reality is the same frustration they have toward us from their point of view. Heck at one time we probably wholeheartedly went along with shunning people/friends etc...I know I did I dont think there are any winners in this - you go back they might be happy but you wont be, you dont go back you're happier but they are not. I think its just something we have to learn to live with.
