and so it begins - Trust 30

Sometime mid-June I signed up for a writing challenge based on Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self Reliance. However, I knew at the time that I wasn't actually going to participate in the challenge right then. I had other things I wanted to write, and I was in the middle of learning that it's okay to rely on other people - which seemed a little contrary to the point of the project. 

However, the writing challenge is not called 'Self-reliance 30'; it's called 'Trust 30.' It's not about not needing anybody else, it's about listening to myself - I might have shushed that still small voice - and sometimes ranting raving voice - once too often, but it's still there ... waiting for me to listen.

The other hold up - I've never read RWE's Self Reliance, or anything else by him, apparently. In fact, when I signed up I thought they were talking about Henry David Throreau's Walden. So I took some time to brush up on my so-called 'American Renaissance' literature. I know I took a course in what we called simply '19th Century American Lit,' but all I can remember is being kicked out for giggling - long story - and pretending to read Moby Dick, and chatting with my grandma about the everlasting genius of Mark Twain. 

So, at long last, I'm ready. I have a library of 30 prompts stored up and will be writing one a day starting now. If you're interested in finding out more about the challenge or want to join in, prompts continue to be delivered (it was so popular they continued it beyond 30 days) and you can click the 'Trust 30' link in the side.