How did you feel the first few meetings you missed?

Mysterious

For those of you that regularly went and never stayed home sick, etc. how did it feel when you first started staying home from meetings? Was it weird watching shows on tv you always missed, or not having to worry about rushing dinner to make it on time. If there were non witnesses in your household was it strange being home with them and seeing them go about their daily routines?

I remember how weird it was for me to stay home with dad while mom was going to the meetings, not having to tape tv shows that were on while I was gone and the eery sor to stillness in the house..it took a long time before it felt normal to be home on tuesday and thursdays. I still have an innate dislike of those days for some reason. (saturday and sunday was less weird since I just slept in)

blondie

I stayed home while hubbie went....

It was great, I suddenly realized how tiring it was to drag my sick body out 3 days a week, 2 nights on weeknights after working 8 hours. I was exhausted by the weekend.

I never realized how boring it had all been...............Listening to Sister BenaJWfor40years and still reads it out of the paragraph. Watching BrotherLate blow in at 7:40 and see the school overseer relax knowing he doesn't have to fill in. See that only one sister and myself prepared for the Q/A part. Not hearing one thing I hadn't heard already for the past 40 years.

Also, it was a social exercise to see who and who would not talk to you, who would interrupt your conversations and if after 8 weeks an elder would say more than "how are you" as they kept marching away from you.

Being able to volunteer for some groups..........

Blondie (still knows that tonight is not a meeting night)

misspeaches

For me it was like this kind of vacant feeling. Thats the best way I can describe it. When I stopped attending it was because I just couldn't handle it anymore but I still believed. Having those nights off, the mornings to sleep in left me feeling kind of empty for a while. I didn't know what to do with the extra time. However I quickly learnt to appreciate it!

Free

FREE AT LAST ! FREE AT LAST !

Mysterious

I know what you mean about boring blondie..I personally mastered being able to look up scriptures while being a million miles away, got away with daydreaming practically forever like that. During family study I learned to read out loud on autopilot while thinking of something else, an odd talent that never ceases to amaze people and applied to singing as well.

Free

I would rather watch static on TV then go to one more of those boring meetings. Dam Im bitter BUT FREE.

Mysterious

misspeaches,
My mother actually told me I would feel empty like there was a void in my life..but all my hobbies swallowed up the extra time and I never experienced that. I think that ticked her off. She wanted me to feel I lacked something and come back but I didn't.

Free,
At least it helped me develop a good imagination. All prepared now for the corporate world. :D

stevenyc

I felt guilty and scared. I felt I was letting my family down. I felt that the elders would destroy my whole life if I continued to abstain.

steve

Mysterious

I remember what my mom used to do as the biggest guilt trip was quote something her father had said to her about "if I miss one meeting I'll fall out of the truth" when I was doing the feigning sick part of getting out. But I didn't believe the JW rhetoric at the time so all I thought to that was "good I hope I do".

blondie

Actually, now I feel I am a more spiritual person...I am not scheduled by some unknown person's idea of what it takes to be spiritual.

I once researched the meetings the Bible Students were going to and realized how fewer they went to, how less structured they were, and how the WTS lies when they talk about meetings and how they went to them in the past. I don't think they had public talks in the KHs till the early 1940's. No TMS until the 50's and no women until 1959.

A high point in a meeting, was some elder saying something stupid at the meeting....like what do we base our beliefs on as he held up the WT. I thought the PO would bite off his tongue as he windmilled his arm to be called on.

"Cosmetics are fine...some sisters look better with cosmetics."

Blondie

How did you feel the first few meetings you missed?

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