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“The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices.” – Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter died today at age 100.

I remember, as a child, not being very fond of Jimmy Carter. My age had not yet hit double-digits when he was President (1977-1981), so I’m not sure if it was the things I saw or heard in the media (I vividly recall a caricature illustrating his head shaped as a peanut), or things I heard people say that formed my opinion of him. Whatever the reason, I didn’t care for the guy.

Like many students in the U.S. public education system, history wasn’t my favorite subject, and often was a subject taught by athletic coaches. Chances were slim that history class would be very rigorous or engaging. I was good at reading and memorizing facts then passing tests that assessed my knowledge of those facts…then even better at forgetting what I had learned once the test was over. IF I learned about Jimmy Carter’s presidency in Junior High or High School, it unfortunately wasn’t committed to memory.

Fast forward to the time I’ve spent over the past few years, learning about our history and realizing that thoughts and ideas from my childhood do not have to remain, nor should they. In all I’ve learned – the good, the bad and the ugly – one thing is for sure. Jimmy Carter was a positive force in this world. A man of character and virtue, his desire to make the world a better place didn’t end when he left the White House. His and Rosalynn’s humanitarian work over the years with Habitat for Humanity and the long-established Carter Center, no doubt, will have positive, lasting impacts on this world for years and years to come.

Rest easy Mr. President. Thank you for dedicating your life to being a source for good.