Comment: Thank You for the Kind Reply

"Love and respect"... YES, these are definitely key. And in my experience, each person will value one a bit more than the other. Yet they go hand in hand.
For example, my wife needs to know I love her unconditionally... meaning she needs to know I love her even if she doesn't feel lovely (it's impossible for her to be unlovely) or even if she may act unlovable at any particular moment.

Likewise, my wife knows I need to feel her respect, even in those times when I fail. When she is convinced I love her without conditions, and I feel her unconditional respect, our marriage flourishes. In fact, the more I love her in such a manner, the easier it is for her to show me the respect a man so needs from his wife. And in turn, her unconditional respect, even in the midst of my shortcomings, makes me want to display my love for her all the more.