In 2003, I was working a corporate gig for a printing company, spending my days in a five-by-five gray cube, selling stickers over the phone. It was pure drudgery, but I learned a lot. Not just about the printing business, but about salesmanship, teamwork, how to write a business plan and how to meet quotas. On Thursday mornings, we held staff meetings to discuss productivity, upcoming projects and announcements. One particular Thursday morning, to my delight, there was a new face joining us. I am going to call her Ingrid.

Looking back now, I can say with certainty that if I was not smitten on sight, I was at least intrigued. She was tall and thin, her red hair cut short in a style I will never have the courage to try. Her face was dusted with a smattering of freckles and one cheek bore a dimple that I became instantly envious of. I learned that Ingrid had moved to Oklahoma from Chicago, and this only intensified my interest. I grew up in a tiny town of 1,400 thinking of Tulsa as "The Big City," and had never met anyone from the fabled Chi-town before. Ingrid was like a beautiful exotic creature dropped into my bland zoo enclosure.

As soon as the staff meeting adjourned, I set out to learn more about her. I soon discovered she was intelligent and quirky, with a spitfire attitude and quick wit. In short, exactly my sort of person. It did not take long for us to become inseparable, relying on each other as comic relief from the torturous days in Cubeland. We spent many happy years laughing ourselves sick before I moved on to other jobs and she moved back to Chicago. Time and distance have done nothing to diminish our friendship. I miss her terribly, despite our numerous cards and letters to each other.

It is probably not a tough guess to figure out that, being from Chicago, my friend Ingrid is a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat. And while my voter ID card says Republican, I am all Libertarian at heart. Ingrid attended President Obama's 2008 inauguration. I did not vote for him. It surprised people in 2003, and continues to surprise them now, that we have such an intense regard for each other. Ingrid is easily one of my favorite people to ever exist, and let me tell you, it has zero to do with political affiliation.

You can imagine, with the atmosphere in our nation right now, that Ingrid and I are watching everything going on with each other in the backs of our minds. If a redneck country girl from Oklahoma can become BFFs with a street-wise city girl from Chicago, then what exactly is wrong with everyone these days? Our society is experiencing an alarming lack of heart and empathy, and it is translating to Congress, board rooms and how we treat strangers on the street.

Our political "leaders" don't really want us to fully understand that we have more in common than we have differences. Why? Because division and unrest serve to distract. If we are busy being needlessly angry at our opposing-party neighbor, we won't be thinking about the utterly ridiculous tax codes, for example. They rely on whipping the masses into a frenzy with the topic du jour and then promising to "fix it all." Not only attain, but to maintain their position and power. Let me assure you, these people couldn't fix a sandwich. Politics have become the new Hollywood, with less talent.

We have been told for far too long that Democrats believe this, and Republicans believe that. In matters of policy this can be true, but in reality our goals are the same: to achieve the best possible set of conditions that allow the maximum number of citizens to acquire a measure of peace, comfort and stability in their lives. The fact that our two parties have differing ideas on how to go about that is secondary because I believe we are more willing to negotiate and work together than they are letting on. Our leaders and media want to shove our differences in our faces, rather than highlight that we are all reaching for the same light in the darkness. The fact that one party reaches out with the right hand and the other party reaches out with the left should not matter. In the end, we should be able to clasp hands in lighted unity. Ideals, yes?

Republicans need to understand it is the height of hypocrisy to insist on freedom for themselves, but refuse to grant it to certain segments of society with which they disagree. Democrats need to understand that legislation cannot replace personal responsibility. Learning and growing needs to happen on both sides, and it needs to happen immediately, if not sooner. But by far the most important thing we need to learn is that we are all passengers on the same ship, bound for the same port. If we do not work together to steer the rudder, then we will be lost in the sea of time which will inevitably roll on without us.

How do we do that? How do we steer this ship together? How do we clasp hands in the darkness? Ingrid and I have had no trouble for well over a decade now. And frankly, we find it immature and tiresome that the lesson is being so blatantly missed, especially by those who are supposed to have the most knowledge and influence. The only explanation is that they want us divided and angry. So I challenge you.

I challenge you, the next time you are tempted to revile someone because of their political views, try instead to get to know them as a person. Political views are a small part of who we are as human beings. Agreement is not a necessary component of respect, but respect is a necessary component of friendship. It is difficult to detract and debase someone that you know and are looking right in the eye, which is why the internet is so full of trolls. You will find, I can almost guarantee, that you will come away from this challenge with a much more open heart and mind, and hopefully some valuable friends.

This is a grassroots campaign. It is the only way to affect real change,and we all know it. If we want to stop political oppression, global warming, child abuse, money laundering or any other morally objectionable practice, then it has to happen first in our own homes, on our own streets, in our own towns and cities. I challenge you to go out and find your own Ingrid. Learn that she loves gourmet mustard, can do her own vehicle maintenance, and sings along to Frank Sinatra. Laugh together over a lost turkey bone and help her clean up broken wine glasses because she's kind of klutzy. Get misty-eyed when Fed-Ex shows up with a care package that she's stuffed with ridiculous odds and ends that you will adore. Learn how to clasp hands in the darkness, I beg of you. Our nation needs you to do this, immediately, if not sooner.