Well in my family of four, brothers and sisters ...all stayed married and are content being married. Except me....lost my husband.
Could I say they love one another and are happy...yes indeed and without question. And they’ve earned it. But I will also say they selected good matches. Friends before they married so they knew each other well.
Too many people get married who shouldn’t these days.
The whole problem with the dating scene is that it’s built on deceit.
When you date someone, you never get to know them for who they really are. They are on their best behavior, looking their best, willing to be accommodating just to please the other person.
It’s that honeymoon stage of a relationship that is not based in reality at all.
For all courtship is mocked and derided, it really would be a better way of scouting out potential mates. I think you are quite right about being friends first. Get to know the person well, see how they treat their family, especially the parent who is the same sex as you. How a woman treats her father, or a man treats his mother, is going to be a good indicator of how they will treat you.
And be willing to call it quits if you see red flags. It’s going to be easier to do before getting married than after.