Listen to all the conversations of our world, those between nations as well as those between couples. They are for the most part dialogues of the deaf. Each one speaks primarily in order to set forth his own ideas, in order to justify himself and to accuse others. Exceedingly few exchanges of viewpoints manifest a real desire to understand the other person.
--Paul Tournier, To Understand the Other (trans. J. S. Gilmour; Richmond: John Knox, 1969), 8-9
This is one of my favorite books. In 1977 I heard Dr. Howard Hendricks recommend that every married couple read it once a year. I haven't quite done that, but I have gone back to it time and again, much to my benefit. Thanks for citing it.
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