Grow little trees grow

I've spent a great many cycles these past few weeks working on syndicating my column. I'm learning that syndication is easier said than done.

Several years ago when newspapers across the country were rocking and rolling, they could be choosy about their content so syndication was difficult. 

Now with the world wide web, and people getting "up to the second" news on their phones, things have changed, and newspapers are in the process of focusing on their core mission, and being mindful of every dollar spent. You guessed it, getting a column syndicated is still easier said than done. 

I have an old friend who was a newspaper publisher for years, once told me to forget it.

I was thinking about that today as I perused through some old photographs that I shot several years ago when Jilda and I visited San Francisco. 

I came across one of costal pines that I'd used to make an art photo. It was growing out of rock. I'm sure there's some soil in there somewhere, but they're surviving.

Their fore-arbors would have told the young saps, don't try to grow on the rocks. Be sensible. It's a hostile environment there by the sea. 

But as you can see, the young saps stayed true to their calling, and I'm glad they did.

Tonight, sitting here with the rejection emails mounting, I feel a little like these trees must have felt when they were much younger.

But this much I know: If becoming a columnist, a painter, a doctor, or a great teacher were easy, everyone would be doing it.

Grow little trees grow.