There are somethings in our life which we take for granted, conciously or unconciously, doesn't matter. We don't realize their importnace up until the point of losing them or after losing them, IMHO, this is one of the examples of such things.
Relationship between the life partners is highly sensitive matter and, most of us, give it the lowest possible value - this is one of the reasons for the increasing numbers of the separation of life partners even in the most conservative countries around the world.