[shazeep]

well, i feel what you're going through. it sounds like you are in a 'pick up your cross' place right now, and it might help you to see that you are having a profound impact on those around you just by being yourself; that is "witness" to me--not spouting religious phrases at the uninitiated, which will just cause them to relate you to religion, which arguably Christ is not even in! As far as the parents go, i am in the same situation; and i have been shown that they are of a different generation, so there is a sense in which we do not even speak the same language. So i don't really converse with them a lot (they are believers), but i have seen my impact mostly in the change in how i'm treated--i was a lifelong addict until about 10 years ago, so (although i never stole from them or anything) was initially treated with suspicion; now i have the keys. It's the way you handle the little things, in grace, that have an impact on people. you're in my prayers.