Submissive

I’m a word freak, and yet I’ve never given any thought to the two different meanings of the word submit. It can either mean “to yield to authority” or “to present to another for review”. I think for much of my life I’ve been inclined to the former type of submission, but last week I took a huge leap to the latter.

I submitted one of my collages to the Cloth Paper Scissors “Color Challenge”. It was a quick turnaround time and I think that made it easy for me to take the plunge. The challenge went up June 3^rd, the work had to be submitted via email by the 8^th and they promised to let the winners know by the 10^th. If I’d had more time to think about it I might have chickened out. Instead I worked on a collage all weekend and sent off the images. The 10^th came and went, and I assumed I had not been chosen. So it goes.

But then, on Monday the 13^th, I got the email that my work was to be included in their debut eMag, and could I get it to their office as soon as possible?

Really? Seriously? Holy submission, Batman!

Upon learning that the CPS offices are a mere half-hour drive from my house, I decided to deliver them in person and make an important face to face contact.

Okay – that’s a lie. Upon learning that the CPS offices are so close to home, my darling HUSBAND strongly suggested I go there in person. I poo-pooed him. I told him I had to work and had no time to drive to Sudbury. I told him the mail would be just fine.

But then I realized that was nothing but fear talking, and I’m tired of being so submissive to my own fear. So after emailing the editor, I drove to the office, shook her hand and dropped off my soon-to-be published work.

I'm not sure I can or should display it here, but I printed out a tiny copy of it and stuck it into the tiny envelope on my ICAD.