Hello Dear Erika :)
It is never late to hear from you and your always valuable insights.
Today I was particularly interested in this part:
we modern couples need much longer to get to know the other really well
I happen to think that even though modern couples perhaps take a long time to get to know each other well, they do it to a greater extent than did couples 50, 100 years ago. When women wouldn't dare to share the burdens of household chores, child rearing, or even their own intimate feelings with their almighty husbands.
Work colleagues can leave each other at any time without being blamed for abandoning each other.
I suppose this is because of the different sorts of bonds that hold them together :)
You take care :*