This is unfortunately a common misconception promoted by most teen-oriented TV series and films in mainstream media today. Love stories often portray relationships with near magical scenes where the lead actors are shown in an almost-perfect world. Even though some of these movies show semblances of a conflict between the two main characters, most of the film's duration seems to give the message that everything is all happy with love.

The problem is this: love is nowhere near magical. Being in love is wrought with several hardships. These hardships unfortunately only get worse and worse as time passes. The purpose of this is that it puts the love between two persons to the test. The stronger their love is, the more likely they are to pass these trials and move on.

Thus, the saying is born: ?love conquers all.? In a way, this is true. When we are in love, we forget and forego all barriers.

Love spans distances. Today, more than before, the number of long-distance and online relationships has increased dramatically due to the improvements in technology. The Internet has allowed people from different countries to come together and, eventually, fall in love with each other. Even before that, the conventional mail has also proved instrumental and effective in linking people across distances.

Love forgets differences. People of different races, nationalities and backgrounds can be brought together because of love. Look around you. You could possibly see a Filipino woman married to an American man. A Japanese woman may marry a Chinese man. When Cupid's arrow strikes a person's heart, everything between them dissolves and only love remains in the middle.

Love even disregards age. Despite the obvious persecutions they would possibly face, there are relationships between people with considerable gaps in age that strives on. Even when they are being maltreated by the people around them, they hold on because the love they feel for each is true and pure.

Love blossoms amidst conflicts, and even heals them. In the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet, you see that the protagonists come from two powerful families with an armed conflict between them. However, this danger has not stopped Romeo and Juliet from falling in love and pursuing their forbidden relationship even in danger of igniting the wrath of their warring families. With their tragic death, they successfully bring to an end the long war between their powerful families.

Not even rejection can quench the flame of love. There are people who are not fortunate enough in the game, and thus suffer from the pain of unrequited love for the people they yearn for. Yet, they continue to love. Even when their pain is unbearable, they do not stop loving and are content with the idea of just seeing their loved ones happy. Love alone conquers pain, and brings bliss to the unrequited one.