Excerpted from Meditations of the Heart by Howard Thurman. Copyright (C) 1953, 1981 by Anne Thurman. Reprinted by permission of Beacon Press, Boston, Massachusetts.

It is very easy to pretend to understand what one does not understand. Often the degree to which we oppose a thing marks the degree to which we do not understand it. Sometimes we use our opposition to an idea to cover our own ignorance. We express our dislike for things, sometimes for people, when we do not understand the things we pretend to dislike, when we do not know the people for whom we have the antagonism.

If I knew you and you knew me,

And each of us could clearly see

By that inner light divine

The meaning of your heart and mine;

I'm sure that we would differ less

And clasp our hands in friendliness,

If you knew me, and I knew you.