Communication is an important aspect of any relationship; we are always communicating. My professor often says "we can never not communicate, but sometimes, we communicate the message that we do not wish to communicate."

The validity of such a statement is realized in the fact that most of our face-to-face communication is in fact non-verbal. Scientists estimate that 60% of communication is through the media of body language or facial expression. 30% of communication is delivered through tone, which leaves 10% of the message for the actual words.

When communication in any form occurs, the party which sends the message first encodes the message and sends it to the second party through a medium. This can be through words, through posture, or even through texting or like media. The receiving party must then decode the message. Herein lies the complication. Words are difficult to decode when they are delivered with the mixed signals of other media. After an argument, for example, an apology delivered by words may be difficult to believe if it is also delivered with a stance of crossed arms and a tapping foot. Forms of communication through texting and electronic media are even more difficult to understand because the primary forms of communication (non-verbal and tone) are excluded.

In order to more effectively communicate to heal and uplift marriages, what should be done about our forms of communication?