we like you. Maybe.

Today I came home from running errands with the kids and found a letter saying, "Hey that poem you submitted will be published in this anthology and then it is going to be read by a committee of judges for a prize." So there is that super long-shot of making a short-list. But whatever. I had anticipated rejection when I had initially submitted. (because that is the way of things.) and instead there is that. I had completely forgotten that I had submitted the damn thing. It threw me into a state of anxiety for assorted and complicated reasons. The few friends I have shared some of my poetry with, have been encouraging. (I have such a love-hate feeling about poetry, and the few pieces I write. It tends to be so private.)

Then this afternoon I get an email from another (very well known place) that is starting up a food section. A friend kindly bullied me into submitting some of my work and introducing myself. They said, "hey we got a number of submissions, and we are going through them right now. And if we don't say yes immediately, we want to stay in contact for the next round of contributors." And it wasn't just some mass emailing. Likely I am in the maybe category but still. I am genuinely surprised and it is novel just to get a personal email back from this place and this person.

But oh man the anxiety. Too much pressure. I am better with rejection. I can just say, "I tried." And then keep trying to write. This path of possibility is overwhelming.