Hello all,
While going through some old files, I found this.
It's a copy of a post I submitted on an e mail list a long time ago, when there was dissent and a lot of people were thinking of leaving.
It seems to fit what's been goin' on around here lately, so I'm posting it here. Please indulge me. I tweaked it a little, but the original sentiment is still there.
Thanks,
es
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If we turn our backs on eachother,
who will be left for us in our grief, and
happiness?
Those of us who have lost mothers,
and daughters.
Sisters, and spouses.
Friends, and aquaintences.
Lost fathers, sons,
uncles and cousins,
who will fill
that void in our souls?
If we close the door of compassion on eachother,
what is left?
Darkness, emptyness.
Anger, bitterness.
If we can't see through our own hurt
to offer kindness and understanding to eachother
To give the benefit of the doubt
and realize that words on a screen
can come across many ways,
how will we ever survive real life,
real world relationships?
Did we forget to leave our judgemental tendencies
inside as we walked out
of the Kingdom Hall?
Did we turn all of our sorrow internally on ourselves
to make us so sensitive
that we can't listen to other's words
without jumping to conclusions
and then running away?
Are we so positive that our way is right
that we can't entertain other's points of view
to respect that their beliefs are as valid to them
as ours are to us?
Tolerance, Kindness, Mildness,
Humility, Gratefulness, and Love:
with these you can't go wrong,
can't we stick together,
hold hands, and give eachother the kindness
that we all ached for when we were still
simply drones?
I cherish my freedom, and that of all my 'sisters' and 'brothers':
especially the ones who follow a path I wouldn't choose for myself:
because I know that my life is richer
because of all the things that I have learned from them.
I've learned from you all. I want to keep learning.
To those who want to leave this...think about it...
if these people, who've been where we've been and have seen what we've seen
can't understand us, and us them...
then how the hell will we get through dealing
with the rest of the world,
who have no chance of being able to fathom
what it's like to be, and leave the Jehovah's Witnesses?
Please think. I know that I'm tired and it's late...but I think that at least a little of my ramblings make sense.
Love you all
Essie
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