Yes! Thanks for sharing, that is a really nice thing to remember... The only problem I have with those stories is that they work afterwards, but didn't help me too much when I was getting ready to quit writing...
Yes, rejection is good. Not only because it can help you rewrite it. But also because publishing in the wrong place is almost as bad as writing something bad.... There is a delicate balance. Editing one's writing and one's views is key.