Rejection re•jec•tion [ri-jek-shuh n] –noun

Rejection re•jec•tion [ri-jek-shuh n] –noun
The act or process of rejecting.
The state of being rejected.
Something that is rejected.
Origin:
1545–55; < Latin rējectiōn- (stem of rējectiō ) a throwing back
Synonyms
refusal, spurning, dismissal, elimination.

To be rejected … can be a distressing, painful experience. Rejection in the school yard, rejection in a relationship or rejection in a job interview, any rejection if handled badly can lead to self esteem issues and in some cases phobias. People in general have a fear of rejection. I must admit that I do. I care, probably a little too much about what people think of me, I want to be liked and I want to fit in. When the calls of dinner invitations don’t come on the weekends I tend to get a little sensitive.

But when it comes to being judged by strangers, either as a person, or for my art and writing I have developed a rather thick hide. If I know deep in my gut that I have done my best… well that’s good enough for me. About twenty years ago (eons I know) I was in a pageant; the other young women were beside themselves the day we had private interviews with the judging panel. They were crying, throwing up, it was horrible. I found myself giving them a stern talking too (who was I to give advice). I think the reason I wasn’t affected the same way was because I thought contestant X was going to be crowned Queen (she was the obvious choice), so I was just along for the ride. I sat them down and made them listen to me, I told them the people sitting in the next room were going to ask them some questions, there were no wrong answers… the worst thing that could possibly happen to them is the panel don’t fall in love with them. They will not pull out revolvers and shoot them. They will not throw drinks in their faces – unless of course it is deserved. I told them to enter the panel room with the idea of making new friends in mind. I helped them fix makeup and the rest of the day went smoothly.

Another time (I have surprised myself) I received a large manila envelope in the mail, it had my handwriting on it so I knew it was my manuscript and book dummy for a picture book coming home – rejected. My sister and another friend were with me at the time and became concerned when after reading the rejection letter to myself I burst into tears. Brushing their concerned hands away I collected myself and told them I wasn’t sad, I was very, very happy. The rejection letter that I had expected to be a simple form letter was in fact a beautiful note from the publisher extolling their admiration for my work and asking me to send more. I was prepared for the rejection only to find that although that particular book had been eventually rejected, I as an author/illustrator hadn’t been.

As for my artwork and rejections… hardly a day goes by where someone doesn’t like what I do. And sometimes those people are very rude. ‘I like that painting – my five year old paints just like that.’ ‘If that were five dollars and not five thousand, I still wouldn’t buy it.’ ‘Yuck, that’s crap.’ ‘Jack, I really like what you painted twenty years ago.’ Now, this week I am sending a painting to Sydney, it is to be entered into the Archibald Prize – Australia’s oldest and most prestigious art prize. Am I afraid of rejection, no, I know I have done my best….

Anyway I know that not everybody has to like me or what I do. I think if rejection is taken gracefully then it makes us better, stronger people.

P.S. After I congratulated contestant X much to her confusion, I discovered it was me who had been crowned Queen.