This depends on your goals and desires in life. I have been in long and short relationships and I have found that even the painful ends are usually worth it. Secondly, relationships need not end dramatically at all, most of my breakups have been amicable and civil.
The way I see it, patriotism is a gateway-philosophy to nationalism. At best I think it is unproductive and at worst it facilitates nationalism. In my native language there is no distinction between the concepts and last time it discussed in a non-negative light was during the Nazi occupation.