Loneliness and Rejection Can Kill You!

Sometimes I trawl the internet for something interesting to read. I am not a very good trawler, but sometimes I stumble upon something that someone else found.

Here is a link to an interesting article on loneliness: HERE

One of the things I found fascinating in the article is a bit where it talks about the damage that rejection can do. Now, we writers suffer rejection all the time - on a daily basis sometimes, but it is not that sort of rejection it is talking about. It is the rejection where you are excluded from a group that you once belonged to. That stuff can kill... or at least it can do damage. And if you carry that rejection with you for a long time, even for years, then it is sure to do you a deal of harm.

I say all this, because in my life I work against people suffering rejection in this way. It is not always easy. I am a teacher, and I use my skills in peacemaking and in creating a philosophy of complete acceptance in my pupils, to battle this disease - and thanks to this article I can call it a disease now.

I stumbled across this article through another person's blog. I think they are dealing with some difficult personal issues and I instinctively wanted to reach out and offer support and help... but I am rejected from the club that that person is in. I am heartened that at least other members of the club are reaching out to give their comfort and support. If ever that person should stumble along here, I hope that the message is understood.

CLEVER AND WITTY AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING

I remember when I graducated from art college, oh years back, and the thrill of it all and the whole of my future laid out before me. But the thing is, and I only know that now, that I was not an artist... not with a capital 'A'. I made pictures and I understood about composition and I could draw and paint passably well... but I never really used pictures to express myself... I never felt I had something to say in pictures... so I became a writer and found that I had stuff to say there, or at least I found that words and stories expressed my inner self in a way that pictures I made did not.

On Friday I attended my middle son's degree show. It took me back and I felt so excited for him and so proud... so immensely proud, the way only a father can feel proud. And I saw in my son's show what never was in mine. I saw an Artist who was brave and witty and clever and who had something to say and something that was him and was not easy. I wrestled with what he had to show me and I woke on Saturday, and again today, thinking about what he had done. It was someone else who said he was clever and witty and thought-provoking; I only agree.

So, to my grown up boy, with the whole of his future laid out before him, I say congratulations and good luck and thank you for making me see, really see, and for making me proud.

NEW SUN RISING: STORIES FOR JAPAN - AND IT'S A WINNER!

So, you see something in the news and it upsets you and you want to do something to help, but you don't know what. You listen for charity organisations putting out the call and you respond by digging into your pockets. But you don't feel that is enough.

Then you read that some nice people are actually looking to do something. They want to put an anthology of stories and poems together and to sell it to raise money to help. It's a great idea. They want writers to donate their work. How could you not? So you get down to it and you put something together and you gift it to the cause.

Eventually there's an e-book and a little later a hold-in-the-hand book. You buy a copy for yourself and copies for all your friends and you hope that others do the same... there's work in the anthology that you like and so it is worth reading.

Then, quite out of ther blue, there's a bit of a surprise... the book wins a prize... the e-book that is. And it's a gold medal winner and that has to be a good thing... I do not mean for the writers, but for those who made the effort to put the project together and for those who still need the financial help that the sales of the book generate. I am so glad that this gift goes on giving.

Why not do your bit and get an award winning book for your trouble?

Oh and here's a link to the award page.