When I started dating my wife, Ruth, I gave her candy and flowers. At least this much, she loves Lowe's, not more than she loves me me, I think. Its funny how life changes as you settle in with someone and begin to live.
Intimacy breeds familiarity and familiarity breeds love, or contempt.
For some couples the early years are the best and then a dreadful routine sets in. If not corrected the marriage can fall apart. It is likely that middle age would not have so many crises if love wasn't being stretched to the breaking point. However, strain need not be the order of the day. For some couples, as historian and Philosopher Will Durant observed, adding years can mean adding maturity.