Its like baby sitting
A baby is born.
The baby starts to grow up and learn new things.
He or she starts to mimic everything he or she sees or hears.
The mother stays home to baby sit.
The mother has some hard times baby sitting but she is getting used to it.
The baby is grabbing things, moving here and moving there, not focused on anything.
The mother gives it a pacifier, cradles the baby, sings to the baby and eventually the baby slows down and starts to relax and fall asleep.
Here is the meaning of the story. The mind is the baby and the mother is you.
You are practicing meditation but the mind is like a baby it moves here and moves there.
You cannot get frustrated with the baby (the mind) and try to forcefully control the baby (the mind).
You need to cherish the baby (the mind) with loving kindness and patience.
In time the baby (the mind) starts to slow down, and relax and still itself.
But yes, every time you meditate, it can seem like its a nursery room, where the mind is roaming here and there. Do not detest you senses, do not get mad at your thoughts, or what your ears are hearing, wishing that there is quietness around. Sometimes there may be noise from your neighbors or the streets or whatever it is and you can get agitated, but let go of that feeling, do not attach to it. Observe it with compassion but do not dwell on it, notice it and let it move along. The thoughts are like cars driving by, do not try to identify each car, because you will get overwhelm and tire out your spirit. You become like a dog chasing its own tail, stirring your mind with more mind.
Be patient like the mother that is baby sitting her baby. Just concentrate on your breathing and remember that your thoughts and the sounds you hear are like phantoms, they are like clouds, they are like dreams, they are not tangible, they cannot affect you only if you allow it to affect you, disturb you. The thoughts and sounds are like a little kid next to you poking you on the shoulder for hours waiting for you to get up upset and say something to him, but you patiently ignore the little kid and stay quiet, the little kid will stop and get tired.
The peace and calmness is inside of you and nothing can take that away from you, not even a so called “bad meditation.” Remember THERE IS NO SUCH THING OF A BAD MEDITATION or GOOD MEDITATION, so stop labeling your progress. Forget about loss and gain, because that derives from dualistic thinking and dualistic thinking is sickness to the mind.
Quieting your mind is like baby sitting, the importance is that you take time to baby sit and if you don’t the baby will grow up to do whatever it likes without any discipline.
Meditation is training of the mind.
I hope this was helpful to you as it was helpful to me.
Take care and be well, namaste!
Your internet friend. 
