Rejection - Are You Trying Hard Enough? LOL!

Last night on the way home from Book Club, I stopped by my favorite store, Barnes & Noble, for a cup of coffee and to peruse the new books out for summer reading.
Crowded around one book table were three young women actively looking at one book, consistently turning the pages, giggling, laughing, interacting, and exuding Oohs and Ahas. I was curious. What were they reading that was so involving?
It was a book compiled with nothing else other than copies of rejection letters**. Letters from personal relationships to job interviews to living situations and artistic endeavors. These actual rejection letters were real pieces of peoples' lives, and it got me thinking about rejection.
These people had put themselves out there in life personally, creatively and professionally. They were trying. They were doing. Actively living life, constantly taking chances with their hearts, their creative talents, their ideas, their souls.
My Mother's boyfriend of 35 years always says: "If you do not fail at least three times in your life, you are not trying hard enough." It is true!
We have all heard the story of Alexander Graham Bell. Seventy two rejections before being successful at inventing the light bulb. Have y'all heard the story of Ted Turner? Everyone told him 24 hour Cable news was stupid and would fail because they thought no one would ever be interested in watching 24 hour news. Have y'all heard the story of first time author, Katheryn Stockett? She sent 45 publishers the manuscript for her book: "The Help" before one publisher agreed to publish her now best selling book.
Myself, I was single for twenty years before marrying a great man! Yes, 20 years of 20 questions. Absolutely had to constantly actively participate in meeting and dating men, keeping in mind my state of mind, trying to remain positive and fun along with maintaining integrity and a good sense of self worth. One of my roommates in New York (a model for Elite Agency) every morning, with coffee in hand on the way to the shower would say: "It's not easy," and would laugh out loud.

Laughter is definitely the key, LOL!!

**"Other People's Rejection Letters: Relationship Enders, Career Killers, and 150 Other Letters You'll Be Glad You Didn't Receive." Edited by Bill Shapiro. Clarkson Potter Publishers, New York.