Pondering Lessons in Familiarity and Contempt

Does familiarity breed contempt?

I wonder because it seems that with some people it does. Completely.

With others the more I know them, the more I love them.

So I'm pondering this idea with relationships. Everyone knows a couple or two that has been married for a million years. I know lots. Here are two for comparison:

Couple #1 Nan and George

This couple has been married for over 40 years. Although not the first marriage for Nan, her children all belong to George. This couple enjoys spending time together working in the garden and in the yard, playing cards, going out to dinner and attending church together. They express their love for each other openly. She makes him his favorite desserts every week and makes sure that he makes time to go fishing often. He opens doors for her and once a week washes and dries her hair. Isn't that sweeeet? They swear they will never divorce.

Couple #2 Mary and John

This couple has been married for more than 50 years ( Could be closer to 60...I just don't know). They spend most of their days in the same apartment but sleep in separate bedrooms and spend several hours a day watching "their shows" on separate tvs in separate rooms. They go to church together and enjoy having their kids over for Sunday dinner. Most of their conversations are sharp and biting and they tend to argue over every little thing. They swear they will never divorce.

So...it would seem that in some cases the more you know someone, the more annoying they become. How do you model your marriages or relationships along the lines of couple #1? What do they do everyday to keep their relationship in a happy place? Is it a selflessness that isn't present with Mary and John? How did Mary and John last this long? Are they just together because it is easier than divorcing? Afraid of being alone? Satisfied with whatever they have?

I wonder about this because I've noticed that a few couples around my age seem to be going on one of these paths or the other. I wonder how they choose that path. I mean, I know that they hardly make a conscious effort to choose the negative, but their actions would say otherwise. What do you think?