I'm not sure if anyone will think this to be worthy of being a Soapbox Article, but it is something that I wanted to share.
It's a short poem that I wrote a long time ago, which has words that I was only guessing about at the time.
I've discovered them to be very true for maintaining a good relationship, but it needs to be followed by both people.
Anyways, one day we were given the task of writing a four line poem in one of my English classes in high school. It had to be something meaningful, but we could pick the subject.
It doesn't have a title, but here it is:

Design with thy heart
And learn to share
For love is an art
Which needs much care

It's important for both people to pay attention to the needs of the other, and to make sure that both of you share. Whether it be talking, hugging, dealing with problems, etc., you should both be there for each other.
If you don't like something, talk about it. It's better to have compromises, then to have either of you try to change each other into someone you are not.
If you try to force a change, you might not be happy with it, and the person you tried to change might look elsewhere because of it.
Try to take things one day at a time, and don't forget about compassion. Try to put yourself in your partner's shoes when you talk to each other. Listen to what they are saying, and if you don't completely understand something, ask... just don't phrase it in a way that may sound judgemental, or you may get shut out. Let them know that you care and want to understand.
Love can be a two-way street, and you should be trying to travel in the same vehicle... not in ones headed toward each other in a collision.