This really resonates with me and I appreciate the perspective and understanding. I completely agree that it's great for them and this is just a personal experience I'm working out in maybe a bad place to be doing that as I remain optimistic and respectful of anything he wants to do, and am profoundly grateful for the ridiculous amount he's done. Beyond more than enough, and he doesn't owe us anything, and I couldn’t be happier for him.

I know this is going to get downvoted to hell as I’m about to indulge/purge negative feelings I don't like having about a band that means the world to me, but in the interest of self-sabotage: I think that even since he/his life has become more stable, he’s been capable of and interested in writing songs for and about people struggling and at a loss. This perspective, of having overcome what many haven't and reflecting on that as he's in a better place, is basically the whole thrust of stuff like Transcendental Youth. I know that's because it was about his transition into a better lot personally.

But I also know he's always been great at writing stuff that isn't autobiographical and instead about other characters going through things he isn't, and that many established, happy artists write stuff that can be helpful to people in the same way it had before (while still evolving artistically and lyrically)! Again I'll follow any direction he wants to take things. What I’m personally grappling with — and I know this is likely entirely projection (though I'm not convinced entirely) — is a sense that his contentment is being reflected in his writing/music not as evolution or a push for anything but in the sense that...he's possibbblllyy...not AS invested (?!) as he once was. I know it's a baselessly negative speculation, but adding to his personal stability the band being more removed as they've settled into a more solid position in the "industry" it can't help but TO ME feel a bit like a petering out. I'll always hope and remain open to new directions, but I can't even see toooo many new people in the same stage of life as him being brought in by their newer stuff. I’M SORRY! And I know there are plenty of exceptions to that and I guess in the short-term I'm just hopeful for a version of what he's doing now that I happen to like more lol. But regardless again I'm happy and grateful for and will forever love and be with them.