Does Love Conquer All?

There have been multiple references in literature about how love can conquer all. The romantics since the Roman poet Virgil, who was the first to coin the phrase in Latin: “Amor vincit omnia, et nos cedamus amori,” or “Love conquers all, and we yield to love.”

Fiction

There have been numerous literatures, especially in the romance genre, indicating that love can indeed conquer all. The romance books, the romance movies have shown that if two people are meant to be together, they will find their way to each other. Some stories demonstrate that some lovers fight their way to be together, and then there are some who fight the fates to avoid each other—but they still end up together anyway.

And once together, there would be no challenges in life that they would not be able to overcome. Or at least that’s what the stories would want the audience to believe. Most stories, after all, end in the beginning of the lovers’ happily-ever-after.

Society

The general public, however, refuse the notion that love conquers all. Most psychological studies show that this is a myth. Depending on the lovers and the circumstances surrounding them, love may actually contribute to their detriment. Some scenarios that would come to mind are the following:

Choosing between your significant other and your family, to whom you are very close.

Choosing between your career and your significant other who could not accept your line of work.

Choosing between your lifestyle or your significant other’s lifestyle.

Choosing between your religion (if you have any) and your significant other’s religion (if they have any).

Bible

The Bible has quite a lot to show about the power of love and proofs that indeed, love can conquer all. Perhaps the most popular is the verse from 1 Corinthians 13:4–7:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Depending on you and how you view love, these three categories (fiction, society, and Bible) have their own points. But love indeed needs work and a lot of patience. True that the butterflies in your stomach will disappear in the long run. But real love does not have to be just for your lover. If you give love to the people who need it the most (the poor, the misunderstood, those in need, etc.), you will find its true meaning.