Re-discovering Your Stories

I think I forgot to mention my re-discovered 'novel.' This experience illustrates the importance of putting something away and then looking at it much later in order to see it with fresh eyes. About ten years ago I wrote a short novel for children that I thought was pretty good. I sent it to a publisher but they didn't receive it! I sent it again, but whether they received it or not I never knew, because each time I asked them, "did it arrive yet?" my request was met with silence. Naturally I began to have a bad feeling about this novel. Perhaps it wasn't worthy after all. Well, a decade flew by and ... I read it again a few weeks ago and, not only was I dazzled by my own wit and brilliance, I merely needed to make a couple of small changes to the text. Then, with soaring hopes, I sent away two chapters to a publisher. Even though I have heard nothing yet, and even though it might be rejected, or (much better) accepted but requiring some 'work,' or (better yet) accepted with the proviso, "Don't change a thing. It's perfect," I feel very good about the quality of writing.
My advice? Dig up your old stories and look at them as if someone else had written them. I know, I've said this before. I'm saying it again.