What does marriage mean to you?

So I have been dabbling in writing a new story.  I took most of the characters and plot complications from "The Revolving Door" and am putting my new story together like a slow moving puzzle.  Although my life hasn't been extraordinary--I have learned a few tough lessons along the way.  If I could pass the torch to another young woman, to explain to her a few of the simple truths regarding relationships, life, and moving forward-- I would be satisfied.

Over the past couple of days I have been wishing to have a crystal ball.  I even peruse daily horoscope sites, searching for answers about the direction my life is going.  I wish I had a compass--to point me in the direction of my goals, friends, and romantic interests.  Imagine knowing you definitively made the right choice.  [Insert wistful sigh here]

What about sparks? I rarely spark with someone...are sparks always mutual? When two people are separated by circumstances but connected by chemistry--is it inevitable they will make it work..or does life laugh at our fated desires? This leads to my essential question of life lately...how do you know when someone is the one?  Of course I could regurgitate the cliche witticisms splayed throughout society: I knew on our first date (did you? did you? That's called LUST), or "it's the person that you can't live without"---but what does that really mean in the long run?  Worse still, can love remain unrequited? I loathe the circumstances that bring about the notorious can'thavehimbutwanthimcrush.  To me, the idea is unfathomable.

It's strange, I have always considered myself to be a hopeless romantic.  I read love stories--I believe in them...so much so that I truly, truly, deeply believe that love can resemble a fairytale.  I just don't want to be so disillusioned that I end up alone--not wanting to accept the inevitable relationship scenario.

Someone said to me the other day that love or marriage is a "conversation that never ends." This taps into a fear I've had that originated years ago when I was waitressing.   An older couple came in nonchalantly and sat at the table in complete silence reading across from each other.  The scene broke my heart; does every relationship reach a point where you have nothing left to say?

For some reason, growing up, I never really pictured what marriage would be like.  It's quite strange, we have so much build up to this "glorious" event and yet...I have no real idea what it would be like.  What does marriage mean?  I would love to hear some opinions about this.  The sad truth of it is that I don't really know that many married couples--all that I know is that two people, sitting idly on the sofa watching tv, not talking over dinner, and arguing over bratty children seems like a nightmare.  I am not naive enough to think that there isn't some beauty in contentment--but when does contentment turn into settling? Do any married couples keep the romance and passion alive? Does it all have to turn into day-to-day routines of laundry, kids, and hectic schedules?

Would it be totally inappropriate to take to the streets with a camera crew and capture the instinctual responses of married couples in the street?  Could I possibly be that nosy for just one day? I'm dying to find out the answers.