I agree with your point that the relationships fail because they don't know themselves however doesn't mean they aren't in love, or don't love each other. There's people out there who couldn't handle the relationship in earlier years, and a few years down the road after some growing up, come back together and now it works.

perhaps a lack of experience makes it all the more easier for teenagers to fall in love...

after all....

once bitten twice shy

Agreed. Less jaded people who say "true love doesn't exist"

To answer the topic title: Yes. Young people can love.

I don't care what anyone says. I am in love with my boyfriend. I know it's real love because that's what I feel in my heart. I'm fourteen now; I've been with him since I was twelve. It's a long distance relationship, and before you say it's dangerous to love someone you met on the Internet, I've met him in real life once, so I know he's real. He stayed for two weeks in the summer. Anyway, he and I have been through a lot together, and I hope that our love can continue to develop.

And I don't care what you think. You can tell me all you want that I'm not in real love, and my opinion won't budge. My boyfriend and I know that our love is real, and that's all that matters.

Read the sentence I wrote before the one you quoted:

Again, this doesn't make teenagers any less valuable or their feelings any less real (if anything their feelings are MORE "real" because they tend to be more intense).

Oh lol.
10char

You basically just made my point for me.

innocence is a virtue...

that once lost....is well...lost...

our 14 yr old friend has just that.....

she loves him...and doesnt even for a moment stop to think that a hormonally charged 14yr old boy is gonna be chasing anyything that moves.....

so no one tell her...ooops

This is a seriously messed-up thread.
All I see is a bunch of people trying to prove each other wrong.
You have ~20 minutes to prove me otherwise. (I'll be asleep after that, whether I like it or not.)