According to Pew Research 28% of adults in America hadn’t read a book in the previous twelve months when asked in 2015. If that trend has continued (I wasn’t able to find more recent data), approximately 35% of American adults didn’t read a book this year. That is, in opinion, a horrifying statistic.
The benefits of reading are myriad, from increasing empathy to reducing stress to helping prevent alzheimer’s. And that’s only the practice of reading alone. There are even more reasons to read books with others, particularly your spouse if you’re married.
In the five years we’ve been married, Kelly and I have made it a point to consistently have a book that we’re reading through together. I say consistently because what we don’t do is read together frequently. In our current season of life where we’re leading two ministries, working, parenting a toddler, and doing all the other things that come with being a human, we realistically sit down and read together maybe once a week.
More frequently would probably be better, but in our experience the simple fact of having a book that you’re reading together, even if that means you’re reading 4 pages a week (on a good week) still gives the benefits below.
Here’s five reasons that you should be reading a book with your spouse. If you’re dating, this still applies. If you’re single, you could grab a couple friends a read together and get basically the same results.
1. You’ll gain new perspective together
We were created to be learning and growing, and books are one of the best ways to learn something new. Proverbs 18:15 says, “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” Sit down and read a novel from another country or a biography of someone from another time and you’ll inevitably gain a new perspective on the world and your life. Just like taking a trip together exposes and changes you and draws you closer to those you travel with, reading a book together brings you closer and gives new perspective.
2. It sparks healthy discussion
When you read books together, particularly non-fiction, you’ll encounter topics and questions that you might not otherwise. That encounter creates a safe space for questions and discussion that wouldn’t come up in day-to-day interactions. Reading a book on marriage and taking a few minutes to talk about what you read each time will make a space to safely bring up something that might be taken wrongly if brought up out-of-the-blue.
3. It gets you away from the TV (or phone)
Our free time is so frequently consumed with electronic devices, whether it be the television, computer, phone, or tablet. I know Kelly and I have frequently found ourselves wasting away the precious hours after our son has gone to bed sitting side-by-side, not interacting, sucked into social media or watching a mindless show. Neither of those are inherently wrong, but I’ve found that reading a book together lends itself more towards interaction and actually being present with the other person than digital media does.
4. It creates a peaceful space
If you’re like most people in the modern age your life is likely full to the brim with activities and noise. Sitting down on the couch for twenty minutes to read creates a peaceful space and an excuse to disconnect from the chaos. Last night we spent a brief 10 minutes reading a couple pages of the book Love and Respect before heading to bed, and as we finished Kelly made the comment, “I’m always so glad when we take time to read together – I feel so much more rested than I do after watching a movie.” She’s right. Bonus – if you read together before bed, reading is much more likely to put your mind in a place to fall easily into sleep than any movie or social media feed will.
Those are a few reasons reading a book with your spouse is well worth it. Convinced? Need some ideas for what to read together? Comment and I’ll give you a few recommendations.
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