Rejection.

 Rejection stings. 

I was on my phone awhile ago, writing something when a little girl approached me and offered to sell fruits. I smiled at her and said, “Thank you, Neng. Pass muna.”

As soon as she left, I felt the sting of rejection. I said no to a little girl without even looking at what she was selling. Ouch!

For the next few minutes, I reflected on rejection.

1. When people reject you, it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s something wrong with you or lacking in you. Sometimes, the timing is just off. It’s nothing personal. (There’s nothing wrong with what the little girl was selling. I was just preoccupied witu writing).

2. Rejection hurts the person being rejected, but it can be painful to the one who rejected as well.

3. It’s okay to say no. It’s okay to feel guilty for saying no. It’s also okay to feel good for saying no.

I silently prayed, “God, give me another chance to give the little girl a chance.”

After a few seconds, I saw the girl again. I called her and asked her to sit beside me. Her name is Gene, 9 years old, 4th of 5 siblings. She helps her parents make money. We had a good chat. I bought rambutan from her, it was a lot. So I gave her about 1/3 of it and gave some also to Lola who sells Calamay and to another young woman who sells hats.

Thank God for giving me another chance and for this sweet encounter with little Gene.

Reminder to self: Stay open. Listen more. When you travel, make sure to give business not just to hotels and restaurants, but also to the sellers in the streets or by the beach. 💕

#travellocal #reflections