Last Saturday an old JW friend was visiting the area from Florida. We had reconnected with another friend from the old congregation - a man raised a JW but who had to deal with being gay and all that entails for a Witness! We had all known each other for 20 to over 40 years.
At any rate, we had a terrific BBQ with a dozen ex-JWs who used to be in one congregation together, but now live all over the country. What a great time! Funny stories, a chance to catch each other up (some of us hadn't seen each other for 18 years!) on what our lives had become, a chance to vent a little. What was interesting to a lot of them was the lack of bitterness in the group - you know how we'd all been led to believe that anyone who leaves the WTS is eaten up with anger and bitterness. NONE of that - just a lot of laughter.
Now I've been in touch with everyone for quite a while - so they all thanked me for reconnecting them all again. The gay ex-bro was in tears frequently over how he was so totally accepted. We had a good laugh telling him that most of us knew he was gay years before he did!
All in all, it was a very fun, very therapeutic and very empowering day. I highly recommend it!
S4