Uplifted

A short continuation of yesterday's post.

My children's picture book is on its tenth rejection. I succumbed to a form of malaise that threatened to implode my writing career.

One of the ladies attending the week-end retreat is a poet. On Saturday night, I worked up the courage to ask if she would listen to my giraffe story and critique it. I thought that the meter might be off and that's why the little thing is getting rejected.

Lo and behold. Hallelujah and Praise the Lord.

This dear woman sat on the rather cool porch in the most wonderful Amish rocking chairs and actually laughed during almost the entire reading. She read the MS out loud and giggled and chortled and caused my heart to burst with renewed hope and joy. Bless you, woman!!!

She turned to me, when she finished the tale, and said she did not understand why it was being rejected. She found the tale delightful and charming and funny. She found the poetry flowed and the meter perfect.

I've often written here how important it is for affirmation for writers. Most of us sit alone and write while the Muse holds back her portion of the tale. To have such uninhibited appreciation of my work made every rejection almost laughable. (Sorry I've used almost a couple times, Claudia. I do know better. *g*)

Friends are important and friends should be included in our struggles and our joys. I hesitated inviting a friend of mine to the retreat, but I have rarely seen anyone so affected. She is still on Cloud Nine. I spoke with her this evening to see if the aura of joy had dissipated - it had not.

I will remember these lessons from this delightful Word Lovers retreat put on by Claudia Taller, and continue to feed myself in hope and joy and with friends and co-writers who exude creativity.

Life is creation.