Am I a romantic or is it called being a traditionalist?

Just finished reading "Tender is the night". And now I'm wondering - Is it about the slow disintegration of a man who needed to be loved, appreciated and put on a pedestal by those around him? Is it just an autobiographical venture? Or isn't it the story of any marriage, if you just leave out the Riviera and the neurological problems etc. I guess, in some way or the other, we all need the love, adoration and appreciation. For some it comes from children, for some from spouses and these days more and more from work.

But thats where the romantic, or is it tradionalist, in me came out - I couldn't read about the marriage failing. It had me depressed for the rest of the evening. We all have our bag of tricks for the world and with time the charm of these traits will certainly wear off for the "better half" and then, the next person who comes along might seem more interesting.....But if this is so, what is the meaning of a marriage, it would be so transitory.....

...At this stage in my life, I believe in the permanency. I believe in the "friends forever".

The coincidence was that the Roos threw a wedding party before they left for Down under and we were asked to give wedding advice (being the longest wed). Tweedledum said "Always ensure there is lots of drink, lots of rock and roll and lots of sex". I felt like adding "...and keep laughing at the same jokes". Simple solutions for complex problems......