The First "No"

I needed to write this while I was raw. I sent in my first polished manuscript in December, and I received my first "no" today. It was short. It was polite. It was a no.

I had to document this. It's a part of the journey. Right now, I must remember everything I have learned over the years. James Clear, Ryan Holiday, Jay Shetty, Mel Robbins, Brené Brown (too many to list)… what have they taught me?

It's not about the rejection, is it? It's my behavior and ACTION that follows. This right here- is me holding myself accountable. So I will have something beautiful to look back on. When the journey isn't such a struggle, and when I can say, "Remember when I got my first no?"

 Thank you. Thank you for driving me further down the path. Thank you for giving me my first reason to fight. And above all, I remember that I GET to write these words right now, and I GET to work on making my life's dream come true. Thank you for my first no......one of many more to come. 

Happy Writing. -CAB

 

A MUST-Read- For  Teachers and Parents 

When I thought about how to begin this Blog in my Little Corner, I cringed. What to do, what to write about, where to begin. And then it came to me. I don't have a beginning, unless I start. 

So this is where I will start. And what a perfect beginning this will be!

When I read Maybe for the first time, I cried. I have read this book probably 30 times, and when I read it now, I cry. It is beautiful. It is inspirational. It is timeless. 

Kobi Yamada is an excellent writer, and his books convey the powerful messages I have shared in my past work as an educator. 

Gabriella Barouch has quickly become one of my favorite illustrators. Her work truly transports you into a magical world of artistic poetry with magical critters, adventurous children, and beckoning forests. 

When reading this to Littles, you can spark up conversations that crack into the endless possibilities on the journey through life. 

I read this to my fifth graders, probed with questions to guide conversations page by page, and used this as an opportunity to spark creative thinking for a writing lesson. This is where I discovered that fifth graders loved a picture book read aloud just as much, if not more, than my second graders. 

It is truly the perfect book to create a lesson on character. 

Whatever your reason is, you will never regret opening this book of wonder and stepping into the magic on each page. Happy Reading!