Hi Bigboi!I just wanted you to know that I'm right there with you! I also get frustrated in thinking that my childhood was taken away. I could relate to a lot of what you said. Individuality is supposed to bloom and blossom during your childhood, teen years and early adulthood. It is such a fragile time in life! I have had a hard time figuring out just who I am even 13 yrs after being out and trying to find uniqueness about me. It seems as though Venice has made more progress in the past year than I have in the past 13!This all reminds me of something that happened a couple of months ago when I filled out my profile at classmates.com. It asks which activities you were interested in while in High School. The only two things I could click on were "skipping school" and "hanging out with friends". So I clicked on these two and put in the very small space for comments that my religion restricted most school activities. Well guess what happened??? I get an email from a current JW scolding me for putting that there!! Geesh!! Will they ever go away!? LOLAt 1st I went back and deleted everything. But then I changed my mind and went back to fill out this profile thingy. Instead of leaving everything blank, in "Interests," I clicked all the ones that interested me and said in the comments, "I would have loved to try these!" When asked about my HS memories, I simply stated that if I'd had any part in my upbringing that I'm sure I'd have plenty more. What I wanted for my future? I put: "In my warped world, who knows!?" Then finally it asked what I did after and I said "Got a Life!" (although I am still working on that last bit) I am just grateful every day that I am still no longer a jw. I take joy in knowing I'll at least get to experience some of this stuff with my kids! 
But, I'm still trying to figure out who I am and what my purpose is.
But, I'm still trying to figure out who I am and what my purpose is.