Quote:
Originally Posted by juliep
My tenure began as a 5 year old in 1967 until I was 18 in 1980. An entire childhood.
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Oh man, that hit me. I think 'we, us' who have escaped understand this so well. An entire childhood. Geez.
I can feel that.
1970-1978. I was 19 and was there until I was 27. One of the best decades in a person's life, in a way --
You know, after we were out, and after we had figured out (my husband and I) how to make friends (after such a cloistered life, I wasn't sure), we would be with friends and things would come up about American culture things from the 70's -- books, music, movies, tv shows -- even national or world events -- and I would be blank. I was so embarrassed to admit I had no idea what someone was talking about. I felt like from outer space, or something. Eventually, we had friends I could trust and I shared the story with them, and they started sort of teaching me the things we had missed. Oh, yeah,
of course I know that missing most of it was no big loss (alot of silly TV those years, huh? And I don't think the music was that good either. Sorry any 70's people
) I still have times when I encounter a blank in my knowledge of common things.
I was 30 the first time I voted. I had been very political, speaking out against Viet Nam and for civil rights -- and then I was 'captured, wrecked, ruined' and just checked out of everything. Think Timothy Leary -- I dropped out.
I had always always been a reader --- taught myself how when I was four, loved to read. When I was 27, after 8 years of only reading one or two authors, I didn't even know what I liked to read. Or what I dared to read, without enraging God with wickedness. So I thought James Mitchner would be safe -- it was history stories! -- and not sinful. Read about 8 of his books before I dared try anything else. For a while I read these Christian sort of woman novels that were in racks at the grocery market, thinking it was a holier thing to read or something. If any of you love that sort of book, please allow me to say I was bored and found them somewhat silly.
Anyway, it is all to say that juliep, you no doubt had a lot of things to learn and catch up with, depending on how strict your family had been. I get it. It's one of the reasons we are here, on this forum -- to hear that, and get it. And know that you and others will get what I am saying too.
My oldest son was only four when we escaped, and our younger son hadn't been born yet. We have told them all about it -- I think they are amazed we did such outlandish things.
This understanding between us is the best reason for the forum, I think.
finallyprettyokay