I woke up with Joanna Newsom's "Bridges and Balloons" running through my head. My son had slept right next to me the entire night. Though I hadn't slept a lot, my back was much more relaxed than it had been the night before, now cracking and popping, and the echoes of my last dreams about some beautiful thing that was coming were still saturating my consciousness with colors and sounds.

I looked out the back sliding glass door. Cloudy. And cool. The middle of rainy season. I haven't felt a June this cool in years. It's been almost like October at times, just with more humidity, fresh greenery, and longer days.

The bus turn signal is click-clack-ing softly, as the cars outside swim around us, like minnows around a larger fish, almost peacefully. Though I suspect the operators inside of those peaceful-little vessels may not be so relaxed, this weather does have its effects on people, and the tranquility of the gray skies does seem to be an influential factor.

The faces on the street are comprised of a strange mixture of calm repose, tension, and an almost vacant look of existential confusion. And, perhaps, mingled in with all this, is a little bit of hope for the future.

As the cars swim, and the people walk, I often wonder, as did my friend from Poland back in high school,

Where is it all going?

Off the bus. Off to work.

~KafkA

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Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as Facebook and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)