SD - I don't think it's at all necessary to have common interests as such, especially if it has to be forced. I've certainly read enough examples of couples who got along famously but where each had very opposite likes as far as pastimes. In my case, I like to "play with toy airplanes", but W hates anything to do with smelly engines or the noise and smell they make. Well, okay, so we can't share THAT interest. I also enjoy an occasional round of golf, and while it's far more likely that W might also find that enjoyable, I don't expect we'll ever be a regular twosome on the course. But what matters is how fascinating we can find each other, not just through shared activities, but through intimate conversations and being together at home. If we achieve a higher level of differentiation, my desire to "play with toy airplanes" might diminish somewhat, as I'm pretty sure I have (in the past, at least) used it for self-soothing, but I don't expect to give it up entirely. We might, however, find some new things we can do together, and I'm very much in favor of that. So I'm not sure whether I've proven or dis-proven your point... (I tend to ramble..)
