The Shunning Song-On the Turning Away (page 2)

waiting

Hey AhHah & puppylove,

Nice to hear from old friends! That message thing from Simon's actually works, eh?

Seven, Red (now a self-proclaimed goddess, btw) and Frenchy (who is a rare read lately) are all Jedi's. I, however, am an emperor (and not self-proclaimed, I might add [for Red's benefit]). It could mean that I have no life - but it just means that I'm chatty as all get out. We still crave Krispy Kremes on Sunday morning, btw??????????

It is busy here - a lot of excellent posters from H20 visit, some regularily. We still fuss and argue (I've found that I can be "pushy" - go figure!)

We would enjoy hearing from you and pup again - door's always open to friends.

waiting

Pathofthorns

It was nice to hear from you again AhHah.

Now and again, you stop and think of the ones that were there with you on the journey. I think those that were here at that certain time, were all in basically that same difficult place and will always be remembered with a certain fondness.

It's good to see you've moved on from it all. I think we all start out at roughly the same place and from there take different paths. I've started to see many of the things you and your wife saw a long time ago and I thank you both for the contributions you made.

I wish you both the best, and please give Puppylove my regards as well.

Path

AhHah

Dear Waiting (er, I mean Your Excellency!) and dear Path,

So very nice to read a reply from both of you!

Waiting, I imagine that a group as large as this one is now must keep you pretty busy. I hope that all of these new whipper-snappers are minding their manners and showing proper respect to Your Highness. It is hard for me to imagine this forum without you -- you seem to have a real gift for always knowing what to say (and what not to). Puppylove and I thank you for the warm welcome, as always.

Path, your kind words also meant a lot to me. I always felt a kinship with you. You have a sensibility about things which always made me feel that I could relate to you. I know that my outspokenness about some things didn't go ever very well with you at times, but you were never unkind. You once admonished me to stop posting for a while on a certain topic and just listen and learn. That was good advice then and I am still trying to follow it now. I don't visit often, but I haven't managed to catch many of your posts. I would enjoy hearing where you are, so to speak. Sounds like perhaps you have started to move on a bit as well? Again, thanks for your kind words. You, too, Waiting!

AhHah

Seven

Dear AhHah, As I was reading your reply I thought of many reasons why you are missed and often thought of by the "old timers" here.You helped me learn much about myself and was a source of comfort during some very trying times. You weren't afraid to talk about my assault and that helped me more than you'll ever know. That went a long way in helping me to open up to people(you and waiting). You are a great writer and would often share a poem or two. I always looked forward to reading your work. The poem you wrote for your wife was so beautiful. You are both so fortunate to have found each other. We were fortunate too that our paths crossed at that particular period in time. It's helped to make the transition to what is real so much easier. I'm glad to hear that you and your sister are once again family. Family is so precious. I'm looking forward to the day when this happens for me. Again, thanks for the reply and for your kind words. Give my best to Puppylove.

Take care,
Seven

AhHah

Dear Seven,

I wish that I could express how much your heartfelt words mean to me. I am overwhelmed. I really didn't know that you felt that way. I am glad that you are able to see what is in my heart and how much I care.

I remember crying as I read your account and Waiting's, and being so touched that you both would entrust our small group with such a painful and private disclosure. I felt so helpless -- that anything I wrote would seem somehow trite and inadequate for what you both must have been through. Yet, to say nothing would have been unconscionable. I felt so proud of you both for summoning the courage and allowing us the opportunity to show how much we care about you, in spite of all the limitations of this medium. If I could, I would give you a very big hug right now!

I sense that there has been much healing since we last conversed. You seem very positive and you sound as though the hardest part is behind you. I can't tell you how happy that makes me. You have so much to offer, and I feel fortunate to know you, even through this limited forum. You have definitely inspired me.

I know that this forum has provided me with a very necessary part of my recovery from the trauma of my losses upon leaving the JWs. (BTW, I appreciated your recent post about post-traumatic recovery from cult participation.) I believe that I was still working through more anger than I even realized. I feel fortunate to have found such a special group as this, who, for the most part, let me rant and explore my feelings and sort through new knowledge and ideas.

However, I felt as though I had worn out my welcome and that it was best that I just go away. As I mentioned, I believe that some of the criticism that I received was valid. It was very painful and I needed time to accept it and learn from it. I believe that I have. I no longer feel as much need for others to agree with me. Another recent post here that I just found last night helped me to realize that this is another typical trait that can be related to the JW mindset.

Thank you, Seven and Waiting and Path for kindly understanding what I was going through and seeing my heart. To know that some of what I posted here made a positive difference in your lives means so very much to me.

Frenchy, if you are reading this, be assured of my love. You are a good man with a good heart and you have given so much that is positive to those who visit here, including myself. I hope that you can forgive me where I offended you and see my heart as well.

Sincerely,
AhHah

Edited by - AhHah on 25 March 2001 1:22:39

Pathofthorns

I can only say that you and your wife have been missed and are remembered often. Like I said earlier, I see more of what you were trying to say.

As with many Witnesses who leave, it is more difficult to question God and the Bible than an organization and in the end you find yourself with no sure answers.

I no longer worry about being able to define everything and to have a definite answer on things no one can answer conclusively anyway. There is a certain spirituality that exists in life that one can sense if he only allows himself.

I feel no need to lead or to follow. Only to be tolerant of others with different beliefs. I only wish people to have as much information as is possible as they make their decisions and form conclusions. And sometimes it's ok to say you don't know and leave things in the hands of time. There's so much to learn and it's good to keep an open mind and learn from others.

So that is where I am these days and I feel better than I have ever felt. It's nice to see you around. I understand the benefits of "moving on" and not being an "ex JW". I just hope you will stop by at least now and again.

Path

AhHah

Path,

Thanks for responding. I can definitely relate to where you are and how it feels to arrive there.

I am also much more settled and at peace than I have ever been in my adult life. Some health problems have also subsided, and I know that it is no coincidence. That includes digestion related disorders and anxiety. I am relating better to others and I feel less need to control everything in my life. I am learning how to "be" and enjoy the moment and the day. I am learning how to be peacefully in the moment even though I could think of a thousand other "important" things that I could be doing. All of these are related to letting go of my indoctrinations and learning to how to live and be a whole person for the first time in my life. I guess these things just take time, especially after a lifetime of programmed control.

You have given me a gift today which I appreciate very much. That gift is your validation of where I am, given our common background. I thank you from my heart. I intend to visit more often.

AhHah

discombobulatedgirl

I like I like your pretty good at this stuf

Dc

stephenw20

7,

I like the Floydl, and On the turning away has been a favorite for years.....

Breathe is also a nice tune

and TIME........

caio~

AhHah

stephenw20,

I enjoyed Path's comment about Floyd lyrics at the top of this post (way back in Spetember last year -- check it out ...)

Amazing how so many relate to the lyrics for so many different reasons, isn't it? Apparently, many of us think that life should be a Shangri-La or Nirvana, or at least something that it is not and never has been. Hence the isolation, loneliness, disillusionment and profound disappointment that is so wonderfully echoed in Floyd music.

Perception is everything in this life, isn't it? It is amazing to me how different people and cultures can react so differently to similar circumstances. One is in the throes of despair and another with seemingly more dire circumstances is happy and hopeful.

To a large degree, I believe that we find what we are looking for (and we don't find that which we are not looking for).

Here's to finding happiness in living every day.

AhHah

The Shunning Song-On the Turning Away

Share this