Looking, Talking, and Listening

4. How may a married couple communicate appreciation for each other?

⁴ There are different forms of communication within the family. Some are nonverbal. When two people just look at each other, it is a form of communication. Being together can communicate a sense of caring. Mates should avoid being away from each other for extended periods of time unless there is an unavoidable reason. A married couple can foster happiness in each other by enjoyment of the close association they have within the marriage bond. By the affectionate and yet respectful way they behave toward each other, whether in public or in private, showing proper dignity in dress and manners, they can silently communicate deep appreciation of each other. Wise King Solomon expressed it in these words: “Let your water source prove to be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth.”​—Proverbs 5:18.

9. What role does listening play in communication?

⁹ Implicit in using speech to keep open the lines of communication is the obligation of each to listen to what the other has to say​—and to make the effort to notice what has been left unsaid. That requires paying attention to the one speaking. Not only does one need to perceive the thought content but one also needs to pay attention to the emotional content, the way something is said.