You know, real life doesn't just suddenly resolve itself. You have to keep working at it. Democracy, marriage, friendship. You can't just say, 'She's my best friend.' That's not a given, it's a process.

This quote is talking about the fact that relationships, just like life itself, take effort to sustain and maintain. This includes relationships like marriage, friendships, and even democracy. If you want to build and maintain a meaningful friendship, marriage, etc., you can’t just assume it’s going to stay that way. You have to work hard to keep the relationship strong and meaningful, otherwise it won’t last.