When my children were young, we didn’t use the word “hate” in my house. Instead, when a particularly strong emotion moved us, we said “disliked with a hot burning passion”. I really disliked my blog last week with a hot burning passion. I had hesitated to write about what was really on my mind and so I wrote a silly piece about my change in shopping habits.

I hesitated because I couldn’t formulate the words that I wanted to use. I’ve been working on them all week.

Here is what I wanted to say. I have always considered myself to be “pro-people” -- of all races, faiths, origins, genders, backgrounds, choices, etc. Trained by my father, I have always thought of myself as someone who tried to be open to and who genuinely enjoyed people’s differences. But I am learning that I can do better. My empathy is not sufficiently fine-tuned.

I can do better at trying to understand perspectives that I have not experienced. I can do better at empathizing with the pain I am watching overflow in our streets. I can do better at listening and reaching out. All around.

I have not quite figured out how to take the next steps I know are in front of me. But I will.