In the car, I was listening to a song with a wide range of vocal levels. In order to hear the quietest parts, I had to increase the volume so that the loudest sections were uncomfortably loud. I was a little annoyed, but then I realized: this song wasn’t written to be enjoyed in a vehicle travelling at speed, with all the distractions of road noise and turn signals. This song was written for a more isolated, high-fidelity playback.

I’m certain that a good pair of headphones will give me the listening enjoyment I seek.

It got me thinking. How do we create moments of isolation where we can hear clearly? Where we can be present, and listen deeply?

A busy street corner is a challenging place to reconcile with a partner. A sporting event is a poor venue for listening to a teenage daughter’s challenges at school.

The worthwhile moments of isolation where we can connect — as though headphones have blocked out the ambient noise — those moments don’t always happen on their own. Sometimes, we have to create them.