by dontplaceliterature 17 Replies latest jw friends
"We miss you...." Mainly came from people who's names I could not remember, who NEVER invited me out for a coffee or to their home...I feel like yelling back "I DONT EVEN KNOW YOU!!!!"
If they do...come over for a friggin beer.......oh right you just wanna associate at the Kingdum Hall.
All you have to do, when they text or email that they miss you, is just text/email them back and say 'I miss you too. Not seen you around for a while. Let's make a date for coffee [or a drink, or lunch] and catch up. How does [such-a-date-and-time] work?' Those that really mean they miss you will arrange to meet up with you. Those that don't ... well, no great loss.
Call 'em on it. Next time you get a "We miss you text" respond with "I miss you too! Let's meet for coffee/get together for dinner/[FILL IN THE BLANK]"
If there's a shred of genuine concern they'll agree. If they say, "I meant I miss you AT MEETINGS" then you can call their BS bluff, "Oh so this isn't about ME, it's about MEETING ATTENDANCE. When you want to be real, I'll be here."
They don't miss YOU.
They miss your meat-ing attendance, time reports, work selling/placing litter-a-turd and money.
@00DAD: That's a good idea, but what if the person accepts and it's someone you want nothing to do with? (Full Body SHUDDER!)
DIL: Well I would only do this if it was someone that I might actually want to spend some time with, otherwise they might call MY bluff!!!
But remember the OP said,
Individually and with my family I have spent countless evenings mid-week and on the weekend, formal and informal with these people. I would accept an invitation to coffee, dinner, a bar, anything...and yet, none have come.
Good idea, 00DAD. But, really, I don't enjoy spending time with these people anymore. So, I doubt I will do such a thing. I usually leave the encounter more frustrated and angry. It's a reminder that people I care about can be so "dead" mentally, and that's tough to be confronted with on a regular basis.
Gotcha. That's one thing about this religion, it's sometimes really hard to put it in the rear-view mirror.
They're just people that you used to know . . .
