2011-07-14

2011 Blogher Voices of the Year - CPR For My Battered Hope

Hope.  It's a very small word that carries such enormous weight.  It sustains us as we attempt to reach for our dreams and nourishes us whenever fear and despondency threatened to deter us from our path.  It begins as a sparkly thing, an effervescent bubble bright and shiny with optimism and naivety.  But Rejection occurs.  Criticism. Dejection. Frustration.  Obstacles are thrown in our path.  Our work is discounted, diminished.  Hope becomes battered.  Bruised.  Tarnished.

Anyone who has attempted to forge a career as a writer will understand this Hope I describe.  Piles of rejection letters from publishers, harsh critiques, and months (or years) of hard work for naught is the life of the struggling writer.  So when recognition for our work occurs, it acts as CPR, filling our dulled and deflated hope with buoyancy.  Here's what my Hope looks like today:

http://www.faqs.org/photo-dict/phrase/691/soap-bubble.html
Yes.  My Hope has just received some much needed CPR.  Today I learned I was named a 2011 Blogher Voice of the Year in the Life category for my post My Sister is Velma Dinkley.  It is enough to sustain me through a mountain of rejection letters!


Pop on over to read some excellent posts by the other Honorees.


18 comments:

  1. Les BotcharJuly 14, 2011

    Hey! Big congrats! And absolutely one of my favourite posts of yours.

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  2. Huge congrats!!! :D (And love this post about hope! You know what they say about great minds...;-))

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  3. WoW -- CONGRATULATIONS!!! I enjoyed that Velma post myself ;-)

    I bet you look like the jumping/flying girl on your banner right now!!!!!

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  4. You're right - I'm jumping for joy!

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  5. Thank you! It's more than great minds thinking alike - I've had this subject on my mind ever since I read your post Return to Sender post. :)

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  6. Thanks Les! It's my favourite too.

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  7. That's really neat, Kara! Congratulations!!

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  8. Congratulations, Kara!! That was a beautiful and touching post, and this award is well-deserved. This is a wonderful post too, kudos to you!

    Hope you have a great weekend coming up! :)

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  9. J.L. CampbellJuly 15, 2011

    Congrats on the award. Really like the picture. It does convey something like the bright spot that pops into our day when something validates who we are and what we do.

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  10. Wow! What an honor! Congratulations! This is definitely a Crowning Moment! I'm so glad you shared it with us. I love your description of hope, also. Isn't that such the truth. You explained such a vague feeling so eloquently. I can't wait to go see your award and read your winning post. Once again, thanks for joining my hop.

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  11. Congrats, that is such a beautiful honor! Loved the pic of hope :)

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  12. Well, what can I say? Congratulations my dear! And I must add that it was a very well deserved award. That post completely kicked butt ;-)

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  13. Clipped WingsJuly 16, 2011

    Congratulations! Just read the post, and you so deserve the award.

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  14. Congratulations! I know all to well about those rejection letters, and for it's just all the more reason to keep on going. Those letters are why I started my blog in the first place. Keep writing! You're clearly doing something right.
    +followed

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  15. bodaciousboomerJuly 18, 2011

    That's really impressive young one. Kudos on a fine piece and the recognition too.

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  16. AlpenwasserJuly 18, 2011

    Good for you!! Hope springs eternal in the human breast (or other body parts).
    Nicely done!

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  17. Excellent news! Congratulations!

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