Should a relationship be easy?

Should a relationship be easy or should it be work?  I have been reading a lot about relationships lately.  It seems the division is 50/50.  Perhaps the answer lies somewhere in the middle.  When a relationship is coasting along, no work is necessary to keep it going.  However, when a relationship hits a problem, the relationship needs nurturing aka work. 

The real question is when a relationship hits a snag, are both people willing to put in the effort to repair the problem?  If not, then no amount of work is going to fix it.  It takes two to make a relationship or break a relationship. 

One question to consider is, is this person worth the effort?  If you love this person and see yourself spending the rest of your life with them, they are worth the effort. 

I am of the opinion that any relationship worth its salt needs work.  Rarely is life perfect.  What makes someone think relationships are perfect?  Each person brings a unique view and dynamic to the relationship.  Our differences and uniqueness is what attracts others.  If everyone were just alike, life would be very boring. 

My role models on the subject are my parents and grandparents.  Mom and Dad were married 43 years before Dad passed away suddenly.  Both sets of grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversaries.  Life was never a bed of roses 24/7/365.  When my parents argued, they argued.  The arguments usually ended in some kind of compromise so they felt they had an equal share in the decision.  It was never a win/lose situation.  It was always a win/win.  I do know that while us kids were still living in the house, my parents did a LOT of compromising.  Once we moved out, they had a peaceful, loving, caring relationship.  They had enough love for each other to know that when the kids were grown, they would have plenty of time for each other.