ABSTRACT
Most couples begin their relationship with idealized roman-tic love and passionate sex. This is a very important phase because it gives you and your partner the courage to take the emotional risk and become involved in a serious relationship. However, by its nature this is a fragile, short-lived phase, usually lasting 6 months to a year, seldom more than 2 years (Fisher, 2004). The challenge for serious couples, married or unmarried, is to integrate intimacy and eroticism, hallmarks of a long-term relationship.
