Is compatibility the secret to longevity?

I recently met a couple who had been married for 17 years. They told me that when they first met, they really paid attention to compatibility. Although they had very different childhoods and backgrounds, they were similar with important things. How do you gauge your compatibility when you seem to be very different?

If you agree on how to raise kids, the kind of life you want to have, and ideas about money, you could find that small things you differ on don’t matter as much. If you meet someone who is religious and you are atheist, obviously the relationship challenges will come.

Do you think compatibility is the secret to a lasting relationship? What compatibility area should you and your partner have that could make your relationship last?