This is what community is ALL about. As I continue my journey in this life, I can’t help but to wonder why more people participate in such powerful movements such as TOMS. TOMS has opened up my eyes in alot of ways. I am passionate about justice and equality in our world and this organization is a perfect energy that people need to take part in.

I challenge you to think about what types of examples you may be taking for granted. The very shoes you wear and use everyday is something a great majority of our world will never have the privilege experiencing. We people in America are about as spoiled as it gets. People are in need for help out there and we must respond. Lets act and join together to give back. Weather if it’s buying a pair of shoes, or giving in any other way – it’s the ACT of LOVE that has no price. Lets love people uncontrollably.

Last week I was doing my usual, commute back to my residence on the eL. I’ll never forget this day, what was about to happen to me on that train was the worst experience for me EVER on the eL. So what happened Nick, did someone draw a gun or plant an explosive device in the train? No, even worse…

So I’m on the train and quickly grab a seat. The seat was not facing parallel with the windows, it was facing into the train and it’s walkway path. It was pretty quiet and not busy at all when I entered the train. I honestly thought to myself, “Thank God, easy ride home – safe, easy and quick”

Now, when I mean out of nowhere, I mean out of nowhere here. I’m sitting and out of NOWHERE dozens and dozens of people storm their way into the train. It literally compacts to the max immediately, to a point I couldn’t believe it just from one stop. Just one stop!

While all this happens, there it was…

Immediately I turn my head to the left and there sits an older lady, I’d say in her early 60’s, overweight blonde. I really hate to do this but she was easily one of the most awkward ladies I’d ever seen in my life. All in just seconds I find myself trapped and gasping for air and am literally in a survival mode. What? What the hell are you talking about Nick?

I am not exaggerating here: The lady sitting right next to me had overly flooded excess amount of perfume on her. It was so horrible people I literally could not breathe, I was literally there stuck trying to breathe for my life, I’m not kidding. The perfume and fragrances were so repulsive I was losing breathe and dieing by the second. The problem was while this was all happening, the entire train was packed and I had no where to go, no where! I was stuck sitting next to this lady trying to make it. This sounds exaggerated but it’s not.

For the first time in years, seconds felt like hours and days. This lady mastered the definition of what cloying could offer. As I sit there trying keep myself from passing out and was praying that this was all just a dream and that it would all just “poof be gone”. She clearly saw my discomfort and stared at me, it was like her watching an ant die as she stepped over it. I was that hopeless ant gasping for life.

People all around me standing there knew and could easily witness my hopeless situation as I sit there next to this lady. Even when I turned my head away and used my hand to air pocket my breathe intake, it was still hopeless.

I knew the next train stop was my stop no matter what, so I jumped and and yelled “I have to leave, please step aside now!” I snugged my way out of the train just trying to hang on to a bit of the air that I took for granted all my life. Air I could actually breathe into. Air that was my friend and not my enemy. I was free, at last I had overcame this horrifying nightmare. I woke up and realized I was passed out on the waiting  bench for 20 minutes. It was all over.