Help!

Guys, I know the gap between my generation and yours is a lot wider that I have anticipated, so please help me narrow it a little bit by giving me some crucial information concerning dating and courtship of the twenty-first century. This is the subject of my immediate concern, since I have two sons who are in the midst of searching for a mate. I dated Susan for a year when I was a freshman in college. The girl was neither spiritual nor smart, which were the two qualities that I was looking for in a spouse, yet I went ahead and dated her anyway. I had no intention of marrying her, but she was beautiful and a good catch, which made me the envy of my peers. That was one of many dumb things that I did as a young man. So now, please tell me honestly what attributes you are looking for in your future spouse, and why do you date some people even though they are obviously deficient of the important qualities for which you are searching? Help this geezer understand, please.