You
know what they say, couples who read together, stay together.
And
it’s true.
According
to relationship experts, reading jolts your brain. And it has the power to
bring couples closer together.
We
grow closer to others by revealing and sharing new thoughts, ideas, and
fantasies with each other. Hence, reading a book and then discussing it draws
us closer to the one we love.
photo credit: Erin Kelly
via Flickr CC
It
never ceases to amaze me how we can bond over a book with our significant
other. You don’t even have to like the same genre, but you can both enjoy some
time together and separate interest.
But
how is this making my relationship stronger, you’re wondering?
Years
ago, during those first fresh newlywed years of marriage, my husband and I
shared our interest in reading, and on many occasions, we would take turns
reading aloud to each other. At times, you’d find two bookmarks in the same
book. “His” and “Hers” where we both left off at different places in a story.
Even
between jobs, laundry, and tending to babies, many hours were passed discussing
the parts of the books we’d both read and hinting to each other and predicting
what was to come next in the books we read.
And
yes, after years of marriage there comes times where you may feel there is
nothing left to discuss because you’ve already talked about it. Or you’ve
become tired of talking about it. But a book, there’s always a new story to
read and discover. Perhaps you read the same book and share the same interest
in genre, but not have the same favorite authors. Or may you like different
genres, but even so, you still ask and listen about what the other is reading.
It
can freshen up your relationship. It helps release the stresses of a day’s
work, family strains, and other worries we face for enough moments to remember
we’re in this together. There is still adventure in our love life, evolving
interests and new ideas and theories to talk about with the person we’re
sharing life with. That’s what bonds us. Not only as couples, but as thrill-seekers, romantics, comedians, and mystery solvers.
When
you get to that end of day period, and you just want to unwind, do it together.
Read to each other, read side by side on your phones, nooks, or paperback
books. There is something satisfying about curling up to a good book. Most
likely, you’ll find it’s a whole lot cozier when you’ve got someone else
curling up with you.
Image via
Flickr CC by Joao Paulo de Vasconcelos
Don’t keep reading
together exclusive to your nights. Grab a blanket and your partner and head to
the nearest park. Pick a shady spot under a tree on a porch swing. Before you
know it, you’ll look forward to spending more time together. You may even
become inseparable, and I’m not implying from the book. (Disclaimer: books can also be hard to
become inseparable from when you’re pulled into an irresistible story.)
You
may find you are attracted to this new literary side you have discovered. It’s
okay to get your ‘geek’ on together.
After
all… couples who read together, stay together. Right?
I’ll be including printable HIS
and HER Bookmarks in this month’s newsletter. Please
be sure to sign up for my newsletter so you can receive them and other goodies
I share throughout the year.
What’s the last book you
read together as a couple?
