There’s a lot of noise in the world.

I think that there are three types of “noise”.

• Audible noise: Sirens, kids crying, toys, and people chatting.
• Visual “noise”: Advertisements, clutter in the home, flashing lights, product labels.
• Internal “noise”: Ruminating thoughts, to-do lists, self-deprecation and self-uplifting, prioritization, analyzing everything around you.

It makes it hard to listen. And, if you can’t listen, how are you supposed to function and find and maintain happiness?

In a family atmosphere, tuning out noise can help you focus on moments that are small, but very valuable.

My dear husband John is usually so excited to be home from work that he walks straight through the house with his muddy boots on. This happens despite the fact that I have asked him several times in past years to please, for the love of god, take your boots off at the door if they are muddy.

When he forgets, within five minutes, the mud has attached itself to the bottom of the kid’s socks like two black holes that have merged together, and it’s all over the house and the bottom of my feet. This is highly displeasing.

Well, it happened. He forgot to take his boots off and I was beyond unhappy about having to vacuum the entire house for the second time that day. He got the “parent” silent treatment (not talking about things unrelated to kids and functionality of the home) for about 2 hours.

Before the “parent” silent treatment ensued I asked (as kindly as I could muster) him to please take his boots off at the back door if they were muddy.

Fast forward a week, he comes home from work. I am chaotically busy cooking dinner and wrangling children. It was very noisy in my house at that moment. In the middle of all this he says “Babe, I want to show you something!”.

In my head I’m going “What could possibly take precedence over what I am doing, which he can clearly see is important?”. I decided to indulge him, and I am glad I did because it taught me something.

He led me to the back door, pointed to his boots and said “I just wanted to show you that I heard you.”

Damn. That was powerful. I looked at him, gave him a hug and told him thank you, then went back to what I was doing. All of the noise around me and in me seemed to melt away, and I was able to focus on how what just happened so was significant.

Despite all the noise, we need to stop and listen.

If someone, especially those closest to you, feel the need to call your attention to something, stop and pay attention if you’re able. It may not be important to you, but it could mean everything to them.

What he did was so small, but so important in a relationship. He communicated to me that he heard and acknowledged my request. It meant that he cares and he loves me enough to let me know he listens.

Make it a goal to tune it out as best you can.

If there is anything you can do to help dull the audible, visual, and internal noise – do it. Life is all about moments, help yourself see the best of them.