I knew it was coming. I'd managed to swerve it once already when I saw the paper invite laid out all special in my mothers kitchen when I arrived at her house..I avoided the kitchen for the rest of the visit.
Had the family over this weekend, we were alone whilst preparing food and I knew from the second that the tone in her voice changed what was coming. The usual words along the line of "I invite you every year, I've got the paper invite to give you as well (like that would make a difference?!), you don't have to come (gee, thanks!) but...*deep breath and dramatic pause* the KM said last week that ""this MAY be our last"" *excited expression and expectant gaze*.
Wow. I thought it was so sad. That someone (I am sure my mother's reaction is representative of the feelings of many JW's) could be so excited and hopeful about such a vague statement. This "may" be our last... I guess that they are holding on to this and thinking that Armageddon is actually imminent. I know that my family have prepared their "go bags". I felt pity, but didn't express this of course, just smiled and said "thanks for the invitation".
How can be people be so gullible? Oh, wait a minute, that must be the relentless indocrination and/or controlling people with fear. You could almost laugh...except its our family/loved ones and there is little we can do to penetrate their thinking.
They think of us as lost, but I think of them as the lost ones. Missing out on so much in the very short life that we all have: deep, loving and unconditional relationships; learning about other beliefs and cultures, respecting them for what they are and marvelling at the diversity of the human race; educating yourself in a subject that interests you/you have a deep passion for and maybe even using this knowledge to financially support yourself and your family; travelling the world and experiencing the wonders that exist on our amazing planet first hand (and not just look forward to doing it in the "new system"); and maybe even pondering, yes pondering, ideas about what else could be out there/what happens next when we shuffle off this mortal coil.
I thank god/whatever higher power is listening/the godless, empty eternity of space which caused the human race to be here by accident for: the gift of freewill/freethinking everyday. What would we be without it? Which brings us back to the memorial invitation...