Conversation or Movie?

A few years ago I recall a couple telling me that the biggest mistake they had made in their dating relationship was going to movies together. I wondered why. "Because," the said, "when you're watching a movie, you aren't talking to each other."

There's something to be said for learning good communications skills during the engagement period. Learning how to discuss ideas, learning how to be open and honest, and also learning how to argue fairly are all imporant skills. Dating in noisy places, in venues that don't foster active and constructive communication is often a detriment to a relationship rather than a help.

My wife and I still go to dinner together and find these times meaningful and significant. It's just talk. But we still learn much about each other.