I myself have never experienced such a thing within this world of ours, however I would give my opinion regardless. You can take it with a grain of salt or not, it's completely up to you.

My view on it is that, it depends on the people involved, some may decide to take advantage to gain money, power you name it. These people cause relationships in our world to fail more times than not. Setting the path for disputes between families and sometimes even worse situations. On the other hand people can see the relationship for what it is and try to develop it. This can lead to a great many things. As you said greatness could be one of those results. It comes down to the individual and their beliefs and their aspirations in this world.

But that doesn't really answer your question well, I feel given the right circumstances and the right environment a relationship could not only prosper, but succeed. So I feel yes, love has a place in our world.

Saying his piece Ghost steps back to let other more experienced than himself speak and gives the required space to do so.

I think that mobsters can balance love and the life. Most of the mobsters that I have researched and studied were married all throughout their mafia days and to their deaths. However, most of these people were married before they entered in to mob circles. John Gotti was married well before rising to power. Sammy the Bull was also married. I think it's kinda a "don't ask don't tell" kind of thing. Mob wives have to know that their husbands are doing some bad stuff. 

But I totally agree with what you said about giving someone else the power to cut you down or build you up. This is the risk you take anytime you try to love or give love to others. The downfall of trying to have love, and be in the family, is that at anytime your life can end and that cannot be healthy for you relationship at home. Living in fear is not what you want your spouse to do. 

What a truly enlightening discussion.. 

To bring something that exudes such joy and happiness as this thing called LOVE, to the cold cunning and sometimes unforgiving streets of our lives. While it is true that this world of ours is a difficult one to live in, one can not deny the need for that acceptance of another, that unexplainable feeling that results in so many symptoms. It also no big secret that those in our lifestyle that decide to venture forth and seek love to fill their souls, are more often than not, bringing those they cherish into the lifestyle and making them targets.

What can I say, Love is a double edged sword. True the happiness it brings can far outweigh the consequences, but one must find the balance they feel will keep everything in perfect harmony. That is not to say that it does not exist.. It does, and while I am here pointing out the tragic downfalls that can occur, I actually encourage those who seek love to go out there and find it. Find that special someone who makes your heart skip a beat, that someone that you know you'll never tire of, that someone to be your rock. For we all need a foundation, that is the only way, to truly begin.. a legacy. 

-Scaletta

No it will not work, If you are here to find love or just find it by accident you will end up disappointed "my own exp." And when you are in different families you might have to take the one you love out so you have a conflict of interest. Everyone should be here to make money and make your family strong and stop thinking of love.

Just have fun 

Love sucks

I-need-Money

Great subject!! This is a tough one....my family tree shows that love can be found here and love can be lost here too....this world is a crazy one - ego's get big, events happen sometimes there is a conflict of interests....it gets complicated.

In my view there is 2 different types of love in this world of ours, one that makes things fuzzy and un-predictable and another that completely cements your loyalty to someone to the end no matter what....picking the right one takes judgement and skill and sometimes a tough brain and a tough heart too. If you find and it helps here never let go if it, if you get lost along the way - you have to do the right thing and wack that 'love' right on the head straight away and refocus.

Great thing to be chatting about in public must say!

goes in search of love....and drugs....

Mercedes pats @I-need-Money on the back as he passes. "Sorry, Brother,"  she murmurs as she steps closer to the clutch of people shooting the breeze and expressing their opinions on matters of love and The Life.

"I rather enjoy Tony2Toes ' take on this. Very valid reference, Sir. 

"But yes, while love can possibly trip you up, the flip side of that is building a potentially intense bond that lasts for years and possibly generations. You can't buy that kind of loyalty. Someone that has your back and best interests at heart, as much as their own? That's priceless."

as I've said previously I wondered if there was actually love in my line of work. Without one man I would have never known, he's been there for me everyday now and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Yes it's true that we have to take the time we have together and cherish every moment because it can be gone in just a blink of an eye. But every moment up until that very last breath is worth every ounce of pain we endure during our lifetime .

Did I ever think I was going to find love here working for the mafia? Actually no I didn't, but somethings just can't be helped. 

Being in this line of work is hard everyday but when you find that special someone hold him or her close and spend every moment you can with them before it's too late. 

So to this one simple word... love, yes it can be found in this crazy world of ours, and I will spend every ounce of strength I have to make it last.

"Great words from all of you keep it up guys"

There is always love for everyone out there.. you just have to find that perfect someone who will accept you for all your faults. don't live in pain everyday you will find that someone who will make you happy.

That person and never lost they are always there, are they worth fighting for? if so then fight harder.

My response would be a partial yes. Why partial you will ask? Because all things don't depend on us.

And then there are those orders we need to obey without a single thought...

Yes is the answer to that question about love in this part of our world. We've seen top don mafias who were king of the streets, subdued by it. But the real question is how well do we respond to the feelings? Do we allow it to take control of our reasoning or we have the power to regulate the emotions spurred by love, because believe it or not it has the power to either make or break a man.

Standing there as all there as all the responses flow in about Love, many think it could work but others think that it would get in the way of our line of work.

"I believe that no matter if your in the mafia or not it will all work out. Everything happens for a  reason am I right?"

I leave once more to resume the responses waiting to hear other peoples reactions on the topic.

I believe love is defiantly a possibility here, and there is no debating if it will work or not. It most certainly will work if you want it to, it is a choice... mobsters have relationships, they have kids and a lot of them get married. It's important to remember that we take an oath for our family, we pledge loyalty... not abstinence. So just because we choose this lifestyle don't mean we can't love someone, that would be absurd.

As long as you don't let the relationship effect your work, there should be no issue.

Love in our world.. You can love but you have to learn to love both your family and your significant other. Your family though.. has to come first. You will have to work and they have to learn that you have two loves!  The wonderful trio can be abruptly cut at anytime if you do not respect the wishes of your respected family. 

If your family and love is in the same line.. all i can say is i wish for the best.. lines at that point get blurry.. and gets hard to see the difference between right and wrong.. death and life.  

So pick your choices carefully.. Yes you can love.. yes there can be love.. but what in the end is the cost? Life is valuable but to what extent does it cost in happiness? 

Noto: How can one be concentrated fully on his work if in love? One need to find time for each thing...

Veronia: Can one be happy having to choose between three loves in a crucial moment? I doubt so...