Rejection Sucks

I was surprised at how hard I would take this rejection. I've received quite a few, so many in fact, that I've lost count...so you'd think I'd be used to it by now.

This one, though, I thought for sure was going to like what I had to say. They didn't want any pre-published articles, so I wrote one just for them. It was on what it's been like to be a parent of a teenager. It was good, I thought, and something that would encourage other moms who are going through the same thing.

I waited the 30 days they asked me to wait and the night of day 29 I received an email saying my piece wasn't the right fit and I cried. I wasn't expecting myself to take that rejection so hard. It hurt, deeply.

I sat in my room by myself for a while allowing myself to feel the pain of that rejection. I allowed the familiar feelings of not being a good enough writer and communicator to simmer in my soul for a bit. I told God how much I hurt. How I felt like a failure and a loser. I asked Him to help me through the pain of rejection.

Then I heard my husband call me from downstairs saying everyone was ready to go. We were headed out for the afternoon to get some fresh air, walk the dog, and be together as a family.

I wiped my eyes, blew my nose, took a deep breath. As I walked down the stairs I saw my family waiting for me and I realized that rejection sucks no matter how many ways you can twist it around to try to make it “feel better”.

But these guys. These are my people. These are the ones who keep me going. Keep me writing. Encourage me through each rejection...even when I haven’t told them it’s happened again. They are the ones I am able to go back to consistently, who know me, encourage me, and love me. And I was grateful. God was using my family to help me through the pain of this rejection.

Who are your people? Who is it that you can go to when you’ve been passed up or rejected? Think about it. We all need someone.

Oh, and by the way...that article that was rejected...I'll publish it here. So, stay tuned for next Monday's blog post. I'm actually proud of that one.