As you're listening to your wife explain a situation or problem, here are a couple of questions to ask yourself: "How does she feel as she’s telling me this?" and "Why is this important to her?" One of the biggest challenges in marital communication is not understanding the emotion and motive behind the message. So, the next time you're not quite following your wife's train of thought, instead of pushing her to get to the point, try to figure out where the train is coming from and where it's going. Try using a word picture. Ask questions, like: “What makes you feel that way?” Then, you’ll understand and respond to her better. And she’ll be very pleased you stayed on the track with her.