by paul from cleveland 69 Replies latest jw friends
I agree with flipper, get an education. I would never let myself pioneer and waste my life. I would have waited until I was five or six years older to get married.
I would have stopped waiting until the new system to enjoy life and would have enjoyed more things in life, enjoyed the gift of life instead of wasting it like I did trying to sell magazines.
dont reach out to be MS, that is what I did!
You were too young to get married, get out now!
I am 20.
Actually, I'd start with "listen to your parents". Of course they weren't JW's and on of the things they told me over the next couple of years was don't get involved with JW's!
I'd tell myself to major in something useful the first time, drink less and go to class more, and treat the women with more respect.
and treat the women with more respect.
I'll be reminding you of this in future Jeffrey!
Finish your bachelor's degree and get some help with that depression. Do what you love and the money will follow. Don't take a job just because it pays well. Buy stock in Yahoo! and sell it when everyone is talking of the tech bubble.
On the whole I like my 20-year-old self, but looking back I would sit myself down and say very firmly "Career is not the dirty word that JW's make it sound like. Once you've finished your college education, don't mess around with part-time jobs, or menial work, and pioneering, get a real job and climb climb climb that ladder, ferociously, while you're young. Just do it for 8 or 10 years, earn lots and save lots, and you'll have a hell of a resume and a headstart in life. Then in your 30's and 40's and 50's you'll have many options open to you."
I'd also tell my 20-year-old self -- "You will never again be as young and beautiful as you are now, so appreciate it!"
(Hope all 20-somethings are listening!!)
Prove it
When I was 20, I remember older people saying, "If only I knew what I know now, I would have done things differently." I remember thinking, well I want to do things right now so I don't regret my later years. Now 40+ years later, I regret over and over the decisions that I made back then. I chose not to get my 4-year university education which all tuition would have been paid. I chose to waste 2-1/2 years of my life as a pioneer (back then 100 hours per month--1200 a year). I also regret getting my parents involved. My father became one of those judgmental, hypocritical elders that we talk so much about. Recently, our daughter turned against me when she detected that I was fading from the organization. Looking back when I was 20, I remember a few non-witness people advising me to get an good education, but I didn't listen. I had the TRUTH.
The best thing I did was marry Clyde. He is a wonderful man, but I didn't always appreciate him because he wasn't as "zealous" as I was, and it almost caused our marriage to fall apart. It only got better when I got out of the big "O". I'm also very happy that our two sons and two daughters-in-law are no longer in the borg, and my grand daughter will have a normal life. Life can still be good....
Bonnie
