Similar to a match of intelligence, two people as a couple need to be on similar levels in terms of their maturity level, or "character maturity," with regard to how much pathological narcissism and vice they have as individuals, versus how many character virtues they have. If there is a vast difference in maturity level, this leads to more of a relationship between "mother and son" or "father and daughter," which have taboos of their own in terms of sexual attraction (dying off), and even of friendship working. Such a mismatch then causes the other two kinds of attraction - sexual and emotional - from phase one and two of courtship, to fail before we even get started.
You have likely encountered many times when there has been a great mismatch between the sheer "size" or quality of a partner's character maturity - much more advanced, spiritually, or on the other hand, lesser than your own. This tends to cause one of the partners to have to rely too heavily on the other to have them both reach success, through the wisdom, honesty, generosity, and other virtues of one partner that are far greater than those of the other. Which can lead to the resentment of the one doing more "adult," responsible, disciplined work and sacrifice than the other. To the more spiritually advanced, mature partner, it can feel like the burden of "parenting" the other, which is not what we sign up for in a mature romantic relationship. To the less advanced, more immature partner, this realization either is not comprehensible, or feels hurtful, because to them, at their maturity level, they may be "doing their best."
The situation can lead to fighting of course, for which there is no solution, and also can feel to them to be a kind of "cultural difference" that carries beliefs and goals not at all matching each other due to the mismatched maturity, and in an almost "language I can't comprehend," when one partner is far more mature than the other.
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