Its difficult to navigate these relationships and social dynamics between partners when the world is so uncertain.

When I was with my ex-fiancé, I loved her to the end of the Earth, but what I saw as a total investment in our relationship wasn't what she wanted. She wanted something else, she valued something else. 

 Yes, it's all so complicated.

I always wonder what it was like, earlier. Was it easier to navigate or did people just assume it would be difficult?

Women were mostly SAHM before, so they didn't have to make that choice consciously and nobody made assumptions about them based upon their situation. 

 On the other hand, they didn't have a choice. Which sorta sucks.