This thread reminds me of running into people you knew slightly while in TWI but now years later when you run into them you don't know what kind of reaction you might get if you talk to them.
In about 1995, about 8 years after I left TWI, I was working in an office in FL at the front desk. One day a UPS guy came in the door to deliver a package. We looked at each other and I realized I knew him from TWI long ago. I think he was trying to figure out where he knew me from but before he had enought time, I left the room and waited until he'd gone before returning to my desk. Call me paranoid, but no telling what he might have said. I wasn't sure whether he was still in TWI or had left and didn't want to take any chances that he might confront me for leaving or something. I sure didn't want my co-workers to know I'd been in a cult. At least back then...people wouldn't have understood.
This thread reminds me of running into people you knew slightly while in TWI but now years later when you run into them you don't know what kind of reaction you might get if you talk to them.
Add to that the different eras that people joined and left during.
There are people who participated in my ouster who shop where I work and others who were kicked out partially because of me. There are people who left during the post-POP exodus and those who left years later...a very diverse and confusing stew of differing outlooks.
Once again, I'm reminded of how difficult it is to leave each other alone in our society and let others get along with their own lives and me with mine.
I guess when a person shows up at my door they're looking for interaction - it's my door, they're knocking, what you get is what you get.
I think it would be really interesting to find myself in the situation described in the thread. I don't have any reason to harrass them or make fun of them. It makes no sense to use that person as the focal point of any grievances I might have that they aren't a part of. Trying to prove I'm smarter than they are makes no sense - if that's the goal, why do I need to validate that? If I actually put myself in their shoes I doubt I'd want to do anything but engage them in the best possible manner. Who are they, where are they from, what brings them here today?
Generally I don't rush to answer the doorbell if I'm not expecting anyone. I"m usually doing something and don't hear it anyway.
A lot of my own personal brain time can get wasted fantasizing on woulda coulda shoulda said. Why wait for a knock on the door if that's really that important? Find the right people and say it to them face to face or as directly as possible. Get on with it and get it done.
Every now and then a Jehovah's Witness or Mormon group shows up at the door. I just tell them I'm not interested. There's been a few times over the years I've felt inspired to talk something through with someone but it's always congenial. First you have to get past the tension and awkwardness, sort out which one's the Mentor and the newbie if there are two or more and try to build some kind of natural rapport. I always tell them I'm a Christian and have a nice day. They're going to need it - trying to go directly face to face, cold turkey with someone like that can be difficult because there are people out there that don't mean good, aren't going to be harmless and will try to rip them deep in some way to satisfy some inner purpose that has nothing to do with them.
Recommended Posts
penworks
This thread reminds me of running into people you knew slightly while in TWI but now years later when you run into them you don't know what kind of reaction you might get if you talk to them.
In about 1995, about 8 years after I left TWI, I was working in an office in FL at the front desk. One day a UPS guy came in the door to deliver a package. We looked at each other and I realized I knew him from TWI long ago. I think he was trying to figure out where he knew me from but before he had enought time, I left the room and waited until he'd gone before returning to my desk. Call me paranoid, but no telling what he might have said. I wasn't sure whether he was still in TWI or had left and didn't want to take any chances that he might confront me for leaving or something. I sure didn't want my co-workers to know I'd been in a cult. At least back then...people wouldn't have understood.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Oakspear
There are people who participated in my ouster who shop where I work and others who were kicked out partially because of me. There are people who left during the post-POP exodus and those who left years later...a very diverse and confusing stew of differing outlooks.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
socks
Once again, I'm reminded of how difficult it is to leave each other alone in our society and let others get along with their own lives and me with mine.
I guess when a person shows up at my door they're looking for interaction - it's my door, they're knocking, what you get is what you get.
I think it would be really interesting to find myself in the situation described in the thread. I don't have any reason to harrass them or make fun of them. It makes no sense to use that person as the focal point of any grievances I might have that they aren't a part of. Trying to prove I'm smarter than they are makes no sense - if that's the goal, why do I need to validate that? If I actually put myself in their shoes I doubt I'd want to do anything but engage them in the best possible manner. Who are they, where are they from, what brings them here today?
Generally I don't rush to answer the doorbell if I'm not expecting anyone. I"m usually doing something and don't hear it anyway.
A lot of my own personal brain time can get wasted fantasizing on woulda coulda shoulda said. Why wait for a knock on the door if that's really that important? Find the right people and say it to them face to face or as directly as possible. Get on with it and get it done.
Every now and then a Jehovah's Witness or Mormon group shows up at the door. I just tell them I'm not interested. There's been a few times over the years I've felt inspired to talk something through with someone but it's always congenial. First you have to get past the tension and awkwardness, sort out which one's the Mentor and the newbie if there are two or more and try to build some kind of natural rapport. I always tell them I'm a Christian and have a nice day. They're going to need it - trying to go directly face to face, cold turkey with someone like that can be difficult because there are people out there that don't mean good, aren't going to be harmless and will try to rip them deep in some way to satisfy some inner purpose that has nothing to do with them.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
that's a nice post, sockittome
i recently had a couple of young fellas come over -- i was sitting outside -- so they didn't knock
they were selling green products of some sort and loved living and moving everywhere
we had a great time chatting even though i had told them i'm not buying anything
very nice guys. i think one of them was actually from ohio!
but once they wanted to stay forever and bum cigarettes and asked for booze i had to let them go :(
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.