When we started school, our teachers reinforced what our parents had been telling us already, namely that we should stop, look and listen before we stepped into the street.

That's good advice, regardless of our age. I love the story of the father who volunteered to "kid-sit" one night so Mom could have an evening out. At bedtime, he sent the youngsters upstairs to bed. However, as children often do, one child kept creeping down the stairs, and Dad kept sending him back up. At about 9 p.m., the doorbell rang. It was the next-door neighbor, Mrs. Jones, asking if her son was there. The father replied no. However, just then, a little head appeared over the banister and a voice shouted, "I'm here, Mom, but he won't let me go home!"

That little funny has a bit of irony and truth mixed in with it. Many times, we half-look and half-listen, making some serious boo-boos, which affect our relationships. In the above incident, I'm certain the neighbor and the husband, as well as the youngster, eventually had quite a laugh about it. However, miscommunication doesn't always give us something to laugh about. The stop, look and listen rule during any kind of interchange with others is good advice. It shows respect for others and increases your chances of getting all the information you need to function well in your personal, family and business life. Unfortunately, one quality that is seldom taught in our society is how to be a good listener, and that creates many relationship problems, so stop, look and listen, and you'll have something to smile about.

To find out more about Zig Ziglar and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.