It’s easy to lose the intimate connection with a partner. It takes active work to maintain that connection. You need to continue to have fun together. You need to solve problems together with humor. You need to not be afraid the other person is going to ditch you when things get bad.
Yes, communication is crucial, but knowing what things you need to do, and where the danger signs lie is also very important. I believe that the number of damaged/sullen relationships out there is astonishingly high. I believe that happy, intimate relationships are the minority. I mean, half of all marriages end in divorce, and of the remaining marriages, so many people stay in them and suffer because they are afraid of divorce.
The key is being willing to work on the relationship, preferably before things start getting really bad. The key is being willing to get help, preferably from a trained marriage counselor. The key is talking and being open, and listening to each other with out being defensive. So many keys. So little time.
Oh yeah. I learned this the hard way, and I’m still making mistakes.