Shaking inwardly again this morning.  I planned to write only about Rock N Roll.  After I write what I have to say about that, — more is to be said about the war in Ukraine.

Hold On, I’m Comin’

By Sam and Dave

Now don’t you ever be sad
Lean on me when times are bad
When the day comes and you’re down
In a river of trouble, about to drown

Hold on, I’m comin’
Hold on, I’m comin’

On my way, your lover
And if it feels cold, I will be your cover
Never have to worry ’cause I’m here
Ah, don’t need to suffer, baby, ’cause I’m near (no need)

Hold on ’cause I’m comin’
Hold on, I’m comin’
Hold on ’cause I’m comin’
Hold on, I’m comin’, look

Reach out to me for satisfaction, yeah
Look, call my name now for quick reaction
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Huh
Now don’t you ever be sad
Lean on me when times get bad
When the day comes, I know you’re down
In a river of trouble, you about to drown

So hold on, I’m comin’
Hold on, I’m comin’
Hold on ’cause I’m comin’
Hold on ’cause I’m comin’

Hold on ’cause I’m comin’
I want you to hold on ’cause I’m comin’, yeah

Lyrics by Isaac Hayes, David Porter

The lyric moves me.  Empathy comes, and I am moved to do everything that I can to be the person which the story describes, backed with sharp-edged horn notes, a tenor of compassion is conveyed by this tune…

Hold on ’cause I’m comin’

This 1966 song is a memory from my youth.  I liked it then, but would have been quite clueless to understand how truthful, how profound is the message.  What matters is the care that we demonstrate for one another.  Life, from time to time is a “shit-storm.”  One can only hold on with a prayer and a hope that help will arrive in time.  We “borrow,” absorb emotional strength, resolve from another who comes alongside with empathy, remaining with us until the storm subsides, and we remain.

That’s how it is.

---

UKRAINE

Tomorrow Ukraine’s President Zelensky is to address Congress via zoom.  The members of Congress will all rise, “on cue” to give him applause at the beginning and at the conclusion of his presentation.  There’s no doubt that aside from the applause, he will hope support is demonstrated in the form of fighter jets.  Ukrainian pilots are ready to pilot those planes in defense of their country until the Russians manage to shoot them down.  How can we possibly say “no” to a country willing to “fight to death” to preserve their voices from being snuffed out by Putin’s alchemy of fear and authority?

What would continuing to live possibly mean for us, — if our response is not to be a full-throated yes?

***

Tetiana Perebyinis and her two children were killed trying to dash to safety, a moment captured by our photographer. Her husband describes their lives, and their final hours.

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has repeatedly denied that his forces are targeting civilians. But only a handful of Ukrainian troops were near the bridge when mortar shells began raining down, and they were helping refugees escape Kyiv.

— excerpt, The New York Times