As a hot and humid Friday evening wears on, I find myself listening to Jose Gonzalez’ album In Our Nature. I've been a fan of his for ages now, and as so often happens with music this one hit me at the right moment. After writing often in June my pace dramatically fell back, often more simply working out ideas in my head without putting things down on paper (digital or otherwise). But the music helped kick start the desire to capture a moment in thought. I ran through my notes and the first three lines written below I had jotted down at some point in the past, I'm not sure when. The rest of it is more or less inspired by the state of things, although I think an argument could be made if I said that same statement in any previous decade.

The world lost in illusion

real thoughts and topics unspoken

Everyone wandering without context

Loud mouths screaming

raising nothing but distraction

Anger and frustration

Feelings have power

to overwhelm intellect

Reaching for hatred and violence

Empathy and compassion

are nothing but weakness

Fire and desire

should drive you to be better

Not to crush your unseen enemies

or drive your paranoia

against the other

Critical thinking

thoughtful observation

should drive

the topics of conversation

The world lost in illusion

caught taking selfies

without ever looking inward