I was watching Anne of Green Gables again. Part two this time, where Anne is trying to get a short story published and gets
rejected.
All I can say is I TOTALLY GET HER!
And then Marilla says something that really stirred my inner debater. This isn't a quote, just as close as I can recall.
"Anne, why do you do this to yourself? What makes you want to create trials and hardships in your life? I've chosen the easy, calm life, one without rejections and self-made heart break."
So I've been thinking. Why did I choose this? Seriously. Looking back, the rejections were hard. And my answer:
Choosing my trials is a lot easier than letting them choose me!
Why do you do it? What makes you torment yourself with rejection after rejection, self-induced trial after trial?
20 comments:
Anne took control of her life, even if it brought disappointments.
Marilla, on the other hand, ended up without the love of her life and had a pretty empty life until Anne entered it.
I think I'll pick Anne's way too.
I love Anne of Green Gables so much!!!
Anywho, I torment myself because it hurts more not to write and try to publish. It's the lesser of two evils. I can't NOT write.
The trials are worth what the end result could be. Luck follows the persistant!
I love Anne of Green Gables! And I remember that scene where she says that.
The trials are worth it! Otherwise, I don't feel like I'm really living.
I just got two rejections today. They're hard, but they make me want to to get something else finished and out there. If I have submissions out, there's a possibility someone will send me a contract, but I'll never see another contract unless I put forth effort and take risks.
I love Anne.
I remember sitting at a table with a few women my age and realizing that some of them didn't have a dream. It wasn't that they were feeling their dream was unreachable, they just didn't have one. I'm thankful for my dreams, even if they beat me up from time to time.
Aww, Bethany, I always loved Anne as a kid. She was my favorite. :o)
I guess it's like I tell my 7 yo daughter: some things are hard to do, but it just makes the accomplishing of them that much sweeter. :o)
I can't breathe without rejection! :-) I guess the want is what makes it worthwhile, right?
The only way to avoid rejection & heartbreak is to avoid risks, avoid taking chances, avoid reaching for your dreams.
Not an option.
Anne is my favourite character of all-time - love her :)
I completely agree with you! It's sort of like picking your battles wit the kidlets, right? ;)
Last week, my husband was looking up ways to control squash bugs in the garden. One website offered advice that was basically, "Don't plant stuff squash bugs like to eat." Right. Don't plant squash and you won't get squash bugs. You also won't get squash. Don't submit and you won't get rejected. You also will never be published. It's worth the pain!
You know it's worth it. At the end. When you see yourself in print.
You guys are so amazing. The wisdom. The INSIGHT! It is such an honor to rub shoulders with you people in the blogosphere.
Simple...really. Masochism. :)
The words come...whether I'm successful or not, they come and they comfort me and they make me feel alive. Even rejection keeps me living fully.
I couldn't let go of my dream. It also gave me hope when form rejections became personalized rejections became phone calls.
Anne with an e is my bosom buddy.
Being open to life means being open to both the good and the bad.
Even Marilla knows that from (begrudgingly at first) letting Anne in.
How can we know true happiness if we aren't open to suffering?
Because I love to write. And maybe because I love to challenge myself to get better, to keep learning and improving. Oh, and being able to work in my pjs :)
I loved Anne of Green Gables. I love how she learns to write what she knows.
I write and open myself to rejection by submitting my stories because I love to write. Not sharing stories would be taking the easy way out and I think I would always wonder if I could have been successful.
i wish i could handle rejection better. i'd be much better off with thicker skin. unfortunately, i've never been one of those people who feels like, "well, i'll show them!!" when someone is critical of me. intead, i go into my shell...
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