Such is life, I suppose, that we must all learn to accept the fact that rejection is a harsh reality, always lurking in the shadows as an inherent part of every relationship into which we dare allow ourselves to be committed.

No matter what the level or intensity of the involvement, we inevitably leave ourselves open…flagrantly exposed…to the pain and heartache inflicted by the cold hand of rejection. Any shield, any armor, any walls, any misdirection with which we choose to protect ourselves is of little consequence against the onslaught of that most powerful of nemeses.

As if impaled by its sharp sword, we find ourselves completely defenseless…sometimes totally incapacitated by it. We become incapable and unwilling (to some degree) to function normally for some length of time. Sometimes it is for shorter periods, sometimes longer…but always it seems interminable at the time.

Ruthless, merciless, cold and unfeeling…rejection will forever be part and parcel of all relationships. Friends or lovers…no one is spared. Attempts to ignore it or otherwise convince ourselves of its non-existence are merely exercises in futility. No matter the number of times we experience it, rejection never becomes any easier to accept. Being abruptly discarded hurts every time. Even so, we must learn, no matter how distasteful, to do that very thing…for we have no other choice. We must accept it, deal with it, and move away from it into a new and hopefully brighter light. So we forge ahead.

Rejection sucks. Unfortunately it is a necessary evil. One which must be experienced in order to better comprehend and more fully appreciate the peace and contentment, the beauty and fulfillment ultimately found in that most precious and sought-after, yet oft-times quite elusive of emotions…true love.

For the prospect and hope of that alone (yet still with much trepidation) I continue to leave myself somewhat exposed (if only fractionally) to the likelihood of further encounters with that enemy. And, true to form, even now (when I least expect it) I find myself assaulted by the pain of utter rejection…of being abruptly discarded. Still, the promise of new love…of the true and faithful companionship I seek…continues to be more appealing, alluring, and compelling to me than the desire to off-handedly dismiss it in order to protect myself from the rejection suffered between times.

(But rejection still sucks!)

SO TRUE

The key here is self-acceptance. If you know you are being the best "you" that you can be, any rejection you experience from another person can be accepted as purely within that person. In essense....it's their problem, not yours.