I remember a "worldly" friend of mine in grade school started coming over to the house a lot. Then he started inviting me to parties. That was when my parents really put the clamps down on me.
A girl wrote in my high school annual, "I loved playing with you in grade school. In high school you kind of disappeared."
It was desperately lonely. My only approved association were the kids in the congregation. Guess what, Mom and Dad? Three of those kids were gay!
I had conflicted feelings my entire life because I was always attracted to girls who were not JWs.
I had a lot of potential artistically but the only thing you were supposed to do was serve the organization.
I feel really proud of myself now for trying to help my kids lead normal lives: celebrating holidays and hopefully going to college eventually.