Primal Urges: Love Lessons Inspired By David Petraeus

The lessons the average person can extract from the Petraeus drama are timeless. Here are just a few:

• Respect the force of love.
• Procreative love brings even the strongest people to their knees, making them vulnerable to all kinds of mischief. Once they give in, they may find themselves in the most tangled of webs, with far-reaching consequences. Any force that has the undiscriminating potential to nullify obligations to families, communities and nations simply must be respected.
• Most of us work hard to focus and contain the power of procreative love in the right place, with someone that we value and trust; a single person with whom we can take responsibility for the outcomes of our love. When contained in this way, procreative love is like a warm campfire.
• Channel your urges toward your mate.

My opinion is that human beings are best suited to mate for life. Even thought it doesn't always work out, it is still the best model. Mating for life provides personal and cultural stability and has the best potential for raising healthy children. We have a long way to go before our species gets it right but there may be no better way.

More from YourTango: Three Realities you Must Accept in a Healthy, Happy Relationship

So, it is important to stay wildly attracted to your mate. Do you know how to keep the spark alive? Have you consciously decided to make your long-term relationship interesting? Are you still learning new things about your partner? Are you making efforts to keep your partner curious, interested and attracted to you?

More from YourTango: Are You Seeking Rejection Without Knowing It?

If not, you should worry.