Relationship advice from waitress

Recently I was at a cafe in LA and started talking to the waitress who was serving me breakfast.  She seemed really wise and shared she'd been married for 35 years.  Her relationship/marriage advice was how important respect, love, and communication is.  I'll be writing more about my recent research of talking to people about what makes relationships work.  All I know is that it is hard work, and not for the faint of heart!  Humorously, she also said that she feeds her beast with yummy food that she makes for him, sounds like old fashioned advice since many of my friends don't even cook- their husbands and partners do all the cooking, and that works for them.