Dearest Darling Friends,
He killed himself by committing suicide. Who? Whom are we talking about? Why is it important to us? Why?
We are talking about John Kennedy Toole, an American novelist from New Orleans, Louisiana, best known for his novel A Confederacy of Dunces. He committed suicide because the book he wrote, A Confederacy of Dunces, was rejected by a publisher. Ironically, Toole’s novels remained unpublished during his lifetime. Some years after his death, Toole’s mother brought the manuscript of A Confederacy of Dunces to the attention of the novelist Walker Percy, who ushered the book into print. In 1981 Toole was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
The book went on to win the pulitzer prize !!! Isn’t it ironical? One publisher rejected the book. The same book went on to win the pulitzer prize! My mind is still spinning and struggling to grasp the enormity of this incident. After all, I too am a writer.
I am always thrilled when a reader write to us saying they like what I have written. I guess all of us love validation.
So, here is a million dollar question. When we still want people to like us, when we are still seeking other people’s approval, how do we take a stand that might upset some people? How do we do some things that we believe are right even if people do not like it? How to handle criticism? How to handle the negative inputs from people?
Here is a very simple and super smart way out. It has worked for me very well. I am sure it will work very well for you too. I am super sure, it would have worked for John Kennedy Toole too. “Choose carefully, people, whose approval matter to you.”
For example, instead of thinking who ‘might’ be unhappy with me, I think, would God be happy with my decision? HIS approval MATTERS to me. Simple !!! After that, even if people criticize me, it is very easy for me to take it in the right spirit. I just leave it with this thought, we have a interesting difference of opinion. I do CARE for validation, however, if it doesn’t come, I am not scared or angry about it.
Whose approval matters to you? Why? The answer to these two questions can be the turning point of your life.
If you write back saying, this LSM resonated with you, I will be excited. If you don’t, well, you must be busy. And if you think reading this was not worth your time, well, I am sorry for taking your time, however, we have an interesting difference of opinion here. Thanks for reading anyways.
With love, prayers and exceptional wishes,
naren
Imagine, when we wake up, we are given only what we had thanked for.