Love at first sight. Couples becoming married after meeting and gaining a marriage that lasts without problems rearing their head. This is the marriage ideal set forth by Hollywood. While many may wish love worked in this manner, the truth is that Hollywood glamorizes love. Any realistic “true love” experience will have its ups and downs.



Take the movie “Pretty Woman.” A call girl falls madly in love with her Prince Charming. He's sexy, passionate, and best of all filthy rich. In the end, Julia Roberts wins her Prince Charming's heart. He is able to overlook that she is a call girl. Not once is the thought of sexually transmitted diseases brought into the picture. Richard Gere decides that his call girl will fit right into his elite setting and lead to a happily ever after. In real life, it is far more realistic that a man might seek the affections of a hooker for one reason only. After that, she'd be out of his life.

In “Sleepless In Seattle,” Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are in love, but don't realize it until it is too late, yet fate steps in and they happen to meet at the top of the Empire State Building thanks to Tom's son where their trademark happily ever after will begin. While slightly more realistic, in today's world there is not a chance that Tom and his son would have been allowed back up the elevator after hours. The missing backpack would have been treated as a potential bomb and destroyed.

Men and women throughout the world adore these movies and wish life was truly like that, but rarely does love at first sight exist. When it does, there are still obstacles to overcome.

In “The Break-Up,” Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn fall madly in love and then let one stupid argument come between them. While viewers wait patiently for the pair to unite—spoiler to come—it never happens! This movie tends to go to the other extreme. A couple lets a stupid argument over lemons end their incredible relationship. Any married couple will tell you that arguments happen, even over stupid things, but something this minor will rarely led to a permanent break up.

Another absurd portrayal of true love is found in Drew Barrymore's “50 First Dates.” In this movie, Drew has a rare form of amnesia and wakes up every morning not remembering a thing about her past. Enter Adam Sandler who falls madly in love with her, only to learn the morning after that she's a little crazed. This pair has their happily-ever-after, but in reality the question arises, how many men would be willing to wake up every morning to a screaming, violent woman who can't remember him?

With any love affair there are far too many variables involved for there to be blissful happiness throughout a couple's time together. Financial strains, children, jobs, friends, each of these items can stress a love affair. True love does exist. After seventeen years of being happily married, I can vouch that love at first sight even exists. Just not the way Hollywood seems to portray it.