Let's not sink the boat.

Democracy is the great experiment. Every day, it tests whether people with different backgrounds, beliefs, values, and experiences can work together without losing sight of what they share in common.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now." That may be one of the central challenges of democracy. We spend so much time debating our differences that we sometimes forget our common destination.

The success of the experiment doesn't depend on everyone agreeing. It depends on whether we can disagree, remain neighbors, and continue rowing in the same direction.

The question worth pondering over a morning cup of coffee is this: Why is it often easier to focus on what divides us than on what unites us?

After all, regardless of the ships that brought us here, we're still in the same boat. And it would be a shame to sink it.