There are plenty of books on how to save relationships, how to be better parents, or just about any "how to" situation you can think of. The self-help section of any bookstore is overflowing with innumerable volumes dedicated to helping us manage our lives better.

Listening, however, in a way that is loving and respectful, isn't so well documented. We can find plenty of help for the big picture relationship stuff - the affairs, the toxic dynamics, the conflict management and so on - but little attention is paid to the day-to-day issues, the small interactions that are like paper...