i’m convinced that Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote his Essay on Self-Reliance just for me. Totally convinced of it. He has these lines in there, that when i read them, my soul is held accountable for all the things that aren’t real and/or authentic in my life. How. The fuck. Does. Someone. do that?

I’ve returned to his essay on nature more times than I can count. I mean, I knew early in my life, lacking guidance and any real adult mentorship, that books would play as parents, friends, family, and teachers. So, let’s just say that Emerson carved out a spot in my occipital lobe, and daily - in my frontal lobe. If for some reason you’ve been abandoned in your life so as to not be familiar with this essay, grab a copy. You’re welcome.

Just wonderful.