I havbe been doing a bit of reading and catching up here and I am struck with how remarkable people are and this group of posters. A recent example What's the hardest thing you ever had to do?
Are you able to see how phenomenal you are?
Yes I know people everywhere have many of the same problems in life.
But we are here. The list of what many of us have gone through is long. Very long. But each one has found a way to keep going. To continue to wake up every morning and find new ways to heal. Some things just take time. Other things require some help and support.
When you stop and think about how we were all supposed to be happy and protected from the problems of the world (more protected because we were doing God's work and compare that to so many of the problems we clearly see that just like every other person we deal with whatever life hands us one day at a time (less than a day for some things)
But we didn't quit. Sometimes we realized it was time to move on but that isn't the same as quitting. We found a way to heal in spite of it all.
How much of getting through life do we believe came as a result of being a JW?
How much came from our own personal strengths and willpower? Even if you think that at the time (or even now) you aren't strong can you look back and see the strength now?
In the thread mentioned above (for those of you who posted there) or where you may have posted some of the things you had to live through have you reread your post/story. Sometimes we just look at it and say "WOW. I did that?"
What would you say or think if someone else told you the exact same story. Can you do that?
As I continued to read the thread (above) I felt so amazed at what people have been through. Loss of a child or parent or partner or a business. Loss of family and support network. Physical and emotional health problems. Lifestyle problems. Heck life in a cult where everything you did or say was monitored.
It is so easy to look at what we personally have done and lived through. For the most part people read someone else's story and say "I don't think I could do that."
So. If you have posted somewhere on this board a bit of what you have lived, STOP. Go and reread what you lived through. Remember what that was like and what you did to get through it.
And then remind yourself that in the end you came out a stronger person. Even if you don't see the strength others do. So ....