A TEACHABLE MOMENT
My heart sunk to my stomach as I read the latest email from an agent I had submitted our book proposal to. "The manuscript just didn't keep me turning the pages. There was nothing "new" in the book and the voice wasn't unique enough. I'm sorry to disappoint you. I'm sure there's another agent or editor out there who will fall in love. Keep at it! "
How dare she, I thought to myself. Thinking back to dozens of other rejection letters that basically said, "It's not for me, but I'm sure there is someone out there who will love it."
"Jean listen to this," as I read the note.
"She's not for us." Jean said. "She doesn't have the vision we need."
"I feel so rejected." I cried, as tears came flowing down my cheeks. "I really thought she might be the one. Now I don't know if we should keep sending out query letters or seriously think about self-publishing.I
was feeling like thousands of writers feel when they open another rejection letter for their book, a tearing at the soul, a shredding of hope, a feeling of desperation.
"I'm hungry." yelled, Zoe in the background.
"I'll go make lunch." I said feeling that I needed to get away from the hated email.
Sitting down for lunch, a mealngee of choices ranging from quiche, baguette, jam, peanut butter, tomatoe, cucumbers, smoked salmon, and mozarella, I whimpered once again over my salad.
"Mommy feels sad because the agent wasn't interested in our book." said Jean to Zoe
"Don't be sad, mommy, she's missing a best seller and I know there will be Nintendo game also." responded Zoe postiviely.
In a moment of insight. I realized this is a TEACHABLE MOMENT for Zoe and for all of us.
"So what is the teachable moment here about REJECTION. It happens alot in life and it feels bad, but what do we know about it. What must we do."
Without a moments hesitation, Zoe jumped up grabbed a paper flower like pompom and starts dancing around the table shouting. "Go Mommy Go. Go Mommy Go." Laughing all the way she makes me cry and laugh at the same time.
"Your own cheerleading section." Jean says. "What more could you want."
"Yes that it is - have a cheerleading section, yes and go,go,go. Do something to change the situation, the state, the self-pity. Get into action."
"Five minutes of self-pity is about enough." agreed Jean chiming in with Zoe "Go Mommy Go."
Circling me in cheerleading fashion, Jean, Zoe, and Pantoufle danced around me singing, "Go Mommy Go, Go Mommy Go."
What more do you need in life, but your own cheerleading squad and a few minutes of time to have self-pity. Then it's time to get up and move on. There are plenty of other agents and people in the world who will want our book, and when they do I'll write all the agents who rejected us and say, "You missed a big one."
Now, I'm off to write more letters and greet the world with open arms. "Here we come -- watch out and go mommy go."