No? Really?

Initially after reading Lisa-Marie's challenge, I went on a long mental trip roiled with the times I'd heard 'NO!'.  From the very beginning all those years ago, my instinct upon receiving a 'no' has been to hear in my head an accompanying loud challenge to jump in, hell-bent for 'YES'.  All those hurt feelings, those 'I told you so' moments that sometimes were satisfying and sometime not, those successes, those failures…all (well, as much as my aging gray cells allowed) remembered.

I'm sure my blood pressure rocketed.

Then the wiser woman living in my head whispered "to what end are you doing this to yourself".  Hmmm.  

I went on a different tack altogether in trying to put 'no' and, my reaction to it, in a larger, more universal context.  

Voila!  Lisa-Marie's challenge….more rewarding emotionally and satisfying.  Almost Zen.  I give you a peek at a detail.