rossana martinez

September 11th, A very sad day for the whole world – even the weather was strange today. Yesterday, I took the subway and noticed the woman seated next to me was crying. She kept covering her face. She was obviously going through a very sad time. People kept staring at her, but no one wanted to get involved. I stopped listening to my iPod and pretended I wasn’t looking at her. I was scared and thinking: What am I supposed to do in a situation like this? Should I ignore her? But how can I ignore her – she is suffering so much and she is six inches from me.

I inhaled deeply and decided to risk it. I turned and looked directly into her sad eyes. I asked her if she was fine and if she needed to talk. She looked at me intensely and didn’t say anything for a couple of seconds. My heart stopped and I thought: This is it, she is either going to scream at me or hit me. But I couldn’t move, I kept looking at her. She then said no and that she was fine. I felt my heart beating again. I asked her if she needed a tissue (my purse is like a pharmacy – you need it, I have it). She said no, thank you. I felt horrible and after about twenty minutes of feeling sad, my stop came up. I looked at her again and told her I hoped she felt better soon. I left the subway and I confess, I cried – yes, I am a softy, I even cry at silly romantic comedies! But seriously, I really wish I could have helped this woman. It hurts me to see how we build walls in front of our hearts because we are afraid of getting hurt or involved. Why don’t we show we care? Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer, but I truly hope our tomorrow begins by giving and caring more about others.

Here is one of my favorite songs. The song is from 1982, but in 2007, it is still relevant.

Under Pressure
By David Bowie and Queen

Mm ba ba de
Um bum ba de
Um bu bu bum da de
Pressure pushing down on me
Pressing down on you no man ask for
Under pressure – that burns a building down
Splits a family in two
Puts people on streets
Um ba ba be
Um ba ba be
De day da
Ee day da – that’s o.k.
It’s the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming ‘Let me out’
Pray tomorrow – gets me higher
Pressure on people – people on streets
Day day de mm hm
Da da da ba ba
O.k.
Chippin’ around – kick my brains around the floor
These are the days it never rains but it pours
Ee do ba be
Ee da ba ba ba
Um bo bo
Be lap
People on streets – ee da de da de
People on streets – ee da de da de da de da
It’s the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming ‘Let me out’
Pray tomorrow – gets me higher high high
Pressure on people – people on streets
Turned away from it all like a blind man
Sat on a fence but it don’t work
Keep coming up with love
but it’s so slashed and torn
Why – why – why ?
Love love love love love
Insanity laughs under pressure we’re cracking
Can’t we give ourselves one more chance
Why can’t we give love that one more chance
Why can’t we give love give love give love give love
give love give love give love give love give love
‘Cause love’s such an old fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night
And loves dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves
This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves
Under pressure
Under pressure
Pressure