open letter to a bad review

Dear Bad Review,

You know exactly why I’m writing you. Don’t even give me that look.

I wasn't sure what name to put in the header. Some people call you Fear. Some people call you Insecurity. Some people call you Discouragement. I decided to go with Bad Review.

I know what you’re doing. You’re smirking and laughing and eating snickerdoodles because you think you’ve won.

Not by a long shot. You thought you were so clever. That you could use my very favorite thing against me—words. You thought you could take something designed for good and twist it into a dagger. You thought . . .

Well, never mind what you thought. It didn’t work. It’s not exactly like this is an uncommon trick. You try it on everyone in one form or another. You just try to make it look a teensy bit different each time. But it all boils down to the same thing: words that tear us down, rather than build us up.

Or do they? Because here’s what you don’t know—we’re team players. We have the Person on our team Who CREATED words. (How’s that for even?) And He can take the words you try to twist and twist them right back into something even better. Did you know knives can make excellent pens? I mean, ever heard of constructive criticism? Or all things working for good? Or rising out of the ashes? Or . . .

Well, you get the point. I’ve enclosed a pen so you can head back to your drawing board. The pen’s empty, though. Like your threats. I just thought I’d write you a note so you didn’t waste those snickerdoodles.   

Sincerely,

Me