Book Report – 8 Touch Talks by Jim Laudell

Touch Talks is about learning to communicate with your spouse in a way that will improve, adjust, mend or even fix your marriage. This book is well written with a lot of useful information and a few easy exercises that, at the very least, will give you a nice walk through memory lane.

We all know that communication is one (maybe the main) key for a successful marriage. The author reminds us that being honest and capable of understanding your spouse’s point of view is vital for a happy and successful marriage. He suggests that through empathy, we can reach true communication with our spouse.

Some of the points to settle arguments are well known, others, will require a lot of practice and dedication. Keep your voice down, allow your spouse’s opinion to be heard, be ready to forgive, do not go to bed mad, find things to agree and let small things go and praying together.

My favorite part of the book is in Chapter 6, where he talks about selfless living. We are getting use to a “me-first” mentality throughout time. Now, for a marriage to succeed it needs a two-way commitment. The “two becoming one flesh” means we must let go of some of the “selfish” pursuits to maintain equality and agreement in the marriage. When we simply pursue an overbearing role in the marriage it will greatly disturb the foundation upon which the marriage is stablished. It is important to remember that respect of each other’s opinions and insight, should come from an unselfish heart. Selfishness is a learned behavior; however, unselfishness is learned as well.

After 30 years of marriage, I have enjoyed the learnings of this book. Not only on our marriages, but always we should be aware that we touch the people around us by the words we say. I specially recommend this book for married and soon to be married couples