OPINION How are you at handling rejection? By DANNY TYREE Contributing columnist May 8, 2026 May 8, 2026 Facebook Twitter WhatsApp LinkedIn SMS Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp LinkedIn SMS Email Print Copy article link Save You can’t always get what you want…” The words of the Rolling Stones often echo in my mind as I ponder the countless rejections we humans face over the course of our lives. × This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. kAmW%96 H@C5D @7 E96 #@==:?8 $E@?6D 2=D@ @7E6? 649@ :? >J >:?5 2D x A@?56C E96 >2?J D6?:@C >@>6?ED H6 7246 @G6C E96 4@FCD6 @7 @FC =:G6D] “!=62D65 E@ >66E J@F[ 9@A6 J@F 8F6DD >J ?2>6 …”Xk^AmkAmx ?62C=J 5:65 367@C6 x E@@< >J 7:CDE 3C62E9[ 3FE sC] z]y] !96=AD H6?E E96 6IEC2 >:=6 7@C >6 :? E96 56=:G6CJ C@@>] $@ x’G6 2=H2JD 925 2 “E9:?8” 23@FE A6@A=6 86EE:?8 2 7:89E:?8 492?46 :? =:76]k^AmkAmW~@AD] %96 7:CDE CF=6 @7 v6EE:?8 p u:89E:?8 r92?46 :? {:76 r=F3 :D J@F 5@ ?@E E2=< 23@FE v6EE:?8 2 u:89E:?8 r92?46 :? {:76 r=F3]Xk^AmkAm{:76 3C:?8D C6;64E:@?D 7@C C@>2?E:4 C6=2E:@?D9:AD[ C6;64E:@?D 7@C C2:D6D 2?5 AC@>@E:@?D 2?5 @77:46D E92E 2C6?’E D92C65 H:E9 >@A 3F4<6ED 2?5 E@:=6E A2A6C[ C6;64E:@?D 7@C ?6H :562D[ C6;64E:@?D 7@C 2H2C5D 2?5 2 >:==:@? @E96C A@E6?E:2==J D@F=\4CFD9:?8 AFE\5@H?D] $@>6E:>6D[ :? C6EC@DA64E[ E96 C6;64E:@?D 2C6 A6C764E=J F?56CDE2?523=6] ~E96C E:>6D[ E96J’C6 ;FDE D9@CED:89E65[ :?D6?D:E:G6 @C 4CF6=]k^AmkAm{6E’D 7246 :Ei $@>6 @7 FD 92G6 366? EFC?65 5@H? >@C6 @7E6? E92? 2 E9C62532C6 D966E :? 2 D=62KJ >@E6=]k^AmkAm$@>6 7@=<D C624E H:E9 9F>:=:2E:@?[ 2?86C @C C6D:8?2E:@?] %96 6E6C?2= @AE:>:DED 492??6= pqqp] W“x7 J@F 492?86 J@FC >:?5[ x’> :? E96 7:CDE :? =:?6] w@?6J[ x’> DE:== 7C66] %2<6 2 492?46 @? >6]”X %96J 42CCJ @? H:E9 E96 9@A6 E92E DAC:?8D 6E6C?2= H:E9:? E96 9F>2? 3C62DE] (9:49 :D 25>:EE65=J :C@?:4[ :7 E96J 86E C6;64E65 7@C E96 962CE EC2?DA=2?E =:DE]k^AmkAm$@>6E:>6D J@F ;FDE 92G6 E@ A:4< J@FCD6=7 FA @77 E96 8C@F?5 2?5 5FDE J@FCD6=7 @77 … 2=E9@F89[ J@F 4@F=5 92G6 G24FF>65 J@FCD6=7 @77 :7 J@F 925?’E 366? D@ BF:4< E@ C6;64E E96 G24FF> 4=62?6C D2=6D>2?’D A:E49[ |C] wJA@4C:E6]k^AmkAmW*6D[ x ECJ ?@E E@ 36 2 9JA@4C:E6] x 92G6 2 D@7E DA@E 7@C H@CE9J 492C:E:6D 2?5 232?5@?65 A6ED] x C6;64E E96> @?=J :7 E96J 92G6 D@>6E9:?8 325 E@ D2J 23@FE pqqp] r=2H:?8 E96 7FC?:EFC6 :D @?6 E9:?8j 5:DD:?8 “s2?4:?8 "F66?” :D 2 H9@=6 5:776C6?E >2EE6C[ u=F77J]Xk^AmkAm$A62<:?8 7@C >JD6=7[ x 2DDFC65=J 5@ ?@E 92G6 A6C>2?6?E D62E:?8 2E E96 r@@= z:5D %23=6] x 72465 >2?J C@253=@4<D 2?5 C6G6CD2=D @? E96 H2J E@ 36:?8 2 ?2E:@?2==J DJ?5:42E65 4@=F>?:DE] x DE:== H:D9 2== E9@D6 3@:=6CA=2E6 “*@FC H@C< 5@6D ?@E >66E @FC AC6D6?E ?665D” C6;64E:@? =6EE6CD 925?’E 2CC:G65 2=C625J =2>:?2E65]k^AmkAmx <?@H E9:D D@F?5D =:<6 D4:6?46 7:4E:@? E@ ?2EFC2=\3@C? ;@4<D[ 3FE D@>6 @7 FD 925 E@ 5C625 36:?8 A:4<65 =2DE 7@C DA@CED E62>D] x H2D 2=H2JD 8C2E67F= E92E x H2D 3@C? 27E6C E96 :?EC@5F4E:@? @7 E96 A@=:@ G244:?6[ D@ x 5:5?’E 92G6 E@ 36 49@D6? 27E6C “%96 z:5 :? E96 xC@? {F?8]”k^AmkAmx 8@E 5F>A65 2 76H E:>6D @? E96 H2J E@ 36:?8 92AA:=J >2CC:65[ 3FE :E DE:== DE:?8D H96? x 92G6 E@ AC6D6?E >J 5C:G6C’D =:46?D6 E@ 2 4=6C< @C A@=:46 @77:46C 2?5 E96J 2EE6>AE E@ “DH:A6 =67E” @? E96 A9@E@]k^AmkAmx’> ?@ 72? @7 ;F?< >2:=[ 3FE :E’D 6>32CC2DD:?8 H96? E96 6?G6=@A6 :D 255C6DD65 E@ “rFCC6?E C6D:56?E … 96J[ ?@E D@ 72DE[ 3F55J]”k^AmkAmx? 4@?4=FD:@?[ :7 J@F’C6 D66<:?8 2AAC@G2=[ 36 A@=:E6=J A6CD:DE6?E] x7 J@F’C6 :? 2 A@D:E:@? @7 A@H6C[ 36 <:?5] v:G6 D@>6@?6 E96 36?67:E @7 E96 5@F3E 2 =:EE=6 >@C6 @7E6?]k^AmkAm%96C6P *@F rp} 86E H92E J@F H2?Ei E96 6?5 @7 E9:D 4@=F>?P *@F 42? C6=2I 2?@E96C H66< H:E9@FE E96 5C:G6= @7 … @7 … 9@A6 J@F 8F6DD >J ?2>6]k^Am Danny Tyree is a lifelong southerner and the longtime author of a syndicated column, “Tyree’s Tyrades.” Facebook Twitter WhatsApp LinkedIn SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Tags Rejection Resilience Optimism Life Lessons Humor Self Improvement Personal Growth Submit a Letter If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here. Submit