Courageous Steps of Empathy

Wednesday night I did something I've never done before.

I called my United States senators.

Yes, I got their voicemail boxes. But yes, I left messages. I told them who I was and I told them I supported the filibuster and I told them thank you for what they are doing to enact responsible gun control legislation in our country.

And then I watched television for six more hours. Why?

Because there was a REAL LIVE FILIBUSTER HAPPENING in the Senate.

I first heard about Senator Chris Murphy and his plans on Twitter. I couldn't believe it. I've never watched a filibuster in real life, only on one of my favorite episodes of the West Wing. And I thought, how cool. Someone bucking the rules (while staying perfectly still within them, let's not get too crazy here). Someone trying to bring about change. Someone trying to DO SOMETHING.

I left C-Span on while I worked. I left it on while I made dinner. I listened to the stories, the facts, the opinions. I heard two republican senators ask questions. I cheered as some of my favorite senators got up to speak (looking at you Warren and Booker! and yes, I do have favorite senators, what's it to you?!). Angela and I googled rules of filibusters, rules of the senate, who exactly is Cory Booker (likely superman, without the glasses). We read Tweets and Lists and I wrote my own Tweets and my own Lists and Facebook posts. And we started enacting change right there in our living room. We encouraged others to call their senators as well and they did! I loved being a very small tiny minuscule part of the process.

And then just as Angela was dozing off, nearing the 14 hour mark, after 11pm here in the west, Senator Murphy told a story about a teacher in Sandy Hook. And I cried. And then he signed off. Confident that the world would be a little bit brighter tomorrow with a tiny sliver of hope to show for his 14 plus hours of standing and speaking and listening.

A few hours earlier Senator Booker told us all to, "Take courageous steps of empathy." I wrote this down in my phone and I thought about it long and hard. I thought about what I can do to be more empathic. I thought about how I felt Sunday, how I felt when I heard the news of another shooting. When I heard the news of a thwarted massacre mere miles from my house that could have involved some of my closest friends. And I wondered if I was being empathic at all. I wondered if any of us were.

But we need to. I need to understand others just as I want them to understand me. And I want to be a part of the change our world so desperately needs.

And Wednesday night it began by watching C-Span for hours on end. It began by listening to folks like you and me who try to do the right thing, and often times fall short, just like you and me.

I want to do better. I want to be better. Shouldn't we all? I will follow Senator Murphy's and Senator Booker's and Senator Warren's leads. I will try to take courageous steps of empathy every single day.