Even as a couple, it was a lonely start when we suddenly found ourselves apparently friendless.
We started by contacting non JW family whom we rarely saw other than at weddings and funerals, and began visiting them and inviting them to visit us, so we were able to develop a close relationship for the first time in our lives. That was a very joyful time!
Then we began making friends of our OWN choosing instead of those who were deemed "suitable company" as was the case during our growing up years in the organisation. Once our children started joining in normal activities at school, we quickly became friends with other parents, and even "worldly" people in the neighbourhood we would only say hello to in passing suddenly became friends when we let our guard down! Also, persuing our hobbies and joining clubs brought more friends. Within a few years we had a rich circle of friends and family that we would never have thought possible, and have never looked back.