Jon explains how John Woolman’s quote “let love be the first motion” has inspired his bicycle trip up the East Coast at Moses Brown Friends School.

Video of Jon Watts performing “We Are Lovers of Our Lost Earth” and explaining the mantra “Inhale Exhaust, Exhale Love” at Brooklyn Friends School.

Have you ever judged someone for being too judgmental?

It’s funny how the obvious irony of it doesn’t prevent me from that attitude. I have to catch myself.

In 2005, I was walking around the streets of Coimbra hating the people around me for destroying our natural world and for not caring for our animal neighbors. Cars’ exhaust, concrete, construction workers, folks in business suits… I convicted them all of neglect and hatred and I despised them for it. I sentenced total strangers to angry looks and disregarded their humanity because of their sins.

…until it occurred to me that our neglect and objectification of the natural world comes out of our own pain and brokenness. My actively hating someone will cause them to feel hated — which will cause more pain — which will cause them to act out of their brokenness — which will cause more destruction.

I vowed to stop contributing to the problem.

I’m like friendship
because I’m half dead.
I’m like a drop of food coloring.

We’re all seeing red.
Now I’m asleep,
but I’ve got the guts to admit it.
I know what fulling living is,
and I’m partially existing.

Now I’m alone.
I’m just alone.
Even if you do call me,
I won’t pick up my phone.
My living situation’s
looking pretty bare bones.
I spend my time considering
the validity of my old poems.

Don’t look at me,
just look away.
You could ask me all your questions
but I won’t find much to say.
I’m not old.
this is my birth day.
My story’s not been told
because I started it today.

Listen to lies
and then speak the truth.
You don’t need to be a freedom fighter
just to have proof
that the truth is beautiful
just the way it is.
I live in condescension of these fibs.
-or-
I’ve got a living contradiction in my ribs.

This is called my summer.
Also, “things fall apart.”
It doesn’t need an introduction
or a lead guitar.
I could feel it in my body
like you might feel your heart
and it’s beating.

If I could say two words
that would live forever.
It’s: authenticity
(and then I’d think of something clever)
I’ve been having trouble speaking lately
listen to my voice.
Luckily, we all have a choice.

Listen to lies
and then speak the truth.
You don’t need to be a freedom fighter
just to have proof
that the truth is beautiful
just the way it is.
I live in condescension of these fibs.
-or-
I’ve got a living contradiction in my ribs.

We are lovers of the Truth.
And that gives us courage
because we know
We’ll find a way to love you.

Some of us are young.
Others, alcoholics.
And we all know it matters what you call it.

Listen, I’m not feeling afraid.
I’m not afraid of clarity.
If anything I’m grateful when it comes.

But I haven’t felt too clear,
and so I’m waiting with sincerity.

Illumination rises with the sun.

I’m like friendship
because I’ll never go away
I’m like a drop of rain on a cloudy day

and I’m awake
as if I never went to sleep
And now I’m dancing in the street
as if there was no street

Now I’m alone and I’m surrounded
I could try to find myself a home
but houses are too grounded
My living situation here
foundations just been founded
I spend my time considering
consideration’s boundaries

Don’t look at me
(because I’m old)
Don’t say you’ve heard of me
because my story’s not been told
I’m living underground this year
The surface is too cold
It’s a land-side landslide
re-routing these old roads

Inhale exhaust.
Exhale love.

This is about roads in Portugal
and things I’ve left behind me
struggles I’ve climbed to find
peace of mind inside me
When blind luck leads us there
it’s fine
but just look between the lines
at all the lives denied

We deny love
so it’s about hope
and it’s about how everyone has courage
in their throat
It’s about the lies that vie for our attention
leading us to places too tangential to mention
I could give you names
and I could name dates
and I could focus on the means to end all the debates
but this is music
It’s elusive
I’ve produced it exclusively
and it leads to loose conclusions
which destroy illusions usefully

I don’t like running in place
so now I’m walking in the city
Carbon-monoxide in my lungs
I feel empty
We’ve cut down all the trees
so now it’s up to us
We’ve got to inhale exhaust, exhale love

Inhale exhaust.
Exhale love.

Now I’m exhausted
I haven’t done this much coughing
since I was lost in Boston
It’s a softened offspring

We are Lovers of our Lost Earth
And it makes us fighters because we know
how much now we have cost her
Some of us are somber
others find a way that they can speak
while they’re choking
That’s not a path I’ve chose yet
We can each pick up something
and find a way to get a little bit of breath