Masochism is a writer’s catechism. You voluntarily subject yourself to likely devastation that is not unlike that of your first middle school heartbreak.
Receiving rejection notices from literary agents or literary journals never gets easier. It’s all part of the process, but the stories your mind tells you after each form letter are truly dark and try to convince you to stop writing, to stop fooling yourself. Those thoughts are summed up like this (click image below for more of these poems):
But after all the years and dozens of rejections, I still find a way to use the ruins of each hope to kindle the fire that powers me onward.
nick holmberg 
I was just sitting here this morning, with a fresh cup of coffee, and reading two rejection letters. ‘Thank you but no.’ I don’t have a lot going for me, but writing has always been a staple, and now I have professionals telling me I am not good enough! Great for the ego, I tell you. Good thing that I still have my award-winning personality and a decent line of credit because obviously I am not becoming rich and famous anytime soon. I was about to shut down my blog, throw out my book, disconnect from all social media, and then go to Wal-Mart to get eggnog and Oreos. OR…I could keep going, find the right publishing agency, and in 5 years when my books are in the stores- I will write a ‘na-na-na’ letter to everyone who said no. Still up in the air which way I am going…
It appears that you chose the eggnog and oreo route; I was looking for your blog and it shows as defunct! I hope that’s not the case; I hope you keep writing. I personally don’t know if I can do without my writing ritual, as it paradoxically helps me through dark times like processing rejection letters. Well, that and margaritas.