My husband's Mom and step-Father are Witnesses ,but don't live close by ,they see us only once a year . They also will accept phone calls from us ,but do not make the effort to call us . When we do speak it is strained and uneasy . We use to be very friendly with each other .
Husband's step Brother and sister in law only live a few blocks away ,they have not spoken to us in at least 5 yrs . My sister in law will look right through me if she runs into me at the grocery store . Two nephews and their wives also will have nothing to do with us anymore .
On my side of the family I have lost contact with one of my older brothers, his wife ,daughter and her husband . Not spoken to any of them for four years .On the plus side I regained a relationship with my oldest brother and his family .( he had been disassociated at 18 and we only completely reconnected seven yrs ago when he was 53 ! )
None of the 'friends' we grew up with ,and raised our children with the past 27 yrs will have anything to do with us . Not one ever called or came by to just ask personally what happened and why did we stop attending meetings . Only one 'new' Witness has ever asked this question, and that was a year after we quit going when he spoke to me during a business situation .
It was tough at first ,but then I began to appreciate how happier I was away from all the Witness gossip and drama .I think it took me a good three years to stop feeling so lost and lonely . I built new circles of friends ones that I chose to be around and not just automatically accepted because we shared the same religion . My friends now are diverse- different ages ,religions ,opinions ,and I love it !