Bring On Lemons

Today, I received a very polite email letting me know that I had not won a literary contest I had submitted a story to. For some reason (call it human nature if you will) rejection brings me to a funny place. I hear every negative comment that has ever been called to my attention. Those thoughts fill my mind and I fight them off saying 'Crystal, not everyone can win. Toughen up. Where's that lemonade attitude you talk about?' and then I start second guessing myself. 'Who are you to tell other people to be positive when you're sinking into the muck and mire of negativity?' on and on.... And then - I am reminded to breathe. Life comes with it's very own phone-a-friend option when you don't have all the answers. I grabbed my phone and called a friend. Sent an email to my husband. Wrote in my journal. I started to hear positive encouragement. I saw the love in my children's eyes. I remembered that Dr. Suess was rejected numerous times before becoming...