On this day of the revered Maya Angelou’s death, one of her vast quantity of quotes stands out. It commends my sentiments on good days, and cajoles me on days I lean toward divisiveness.

Within the quote, the word learn, is paramount. I must learn to search for common ground with people who differ from me. I must choose to do so, and do it repeatedly for it to become a habit. It must be a habit to ultimately embed itself in my nature.

“We can learn to see each other and see ourselves in each other and recognize that human beings are more alike than we are unalike.”

— Maya Angelou (April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014)