Can Friends Become Lovers?

A recent discussion with a dear friend of mine and then with another friend of mine has raised the age old question for me... Can a man and woman, who've been friends for years, become lovers and still remain friends (even if the romantic relationship fails)?

Of course the common reaction to the question seems to be a resounding NO. But I don't think that I agree.

We often hear people say that the best kind of long term relationship starts out with the two people being friends, because when the heat and passion of an early romance fizzles out what you are left with is the friendship of the two people to sustain the long haul of the relationship.

I tend to fall into the category that believes in the friends first logic. But the friends first logic can't seem to truly apply since every person I've ever met who has fallen in love with a long term friend has found themselves too terrified to take the next step for fear of losing the friendship.

Now, is the reality of this dilemma created because the parties involved don't have that much faith in their friendship? Are so many of us fooled into believing we are really close to someone, but inside we know that our friendship is not that strong?

Isn't the possibility of a lifetime with someone so close to you worth the risk of losing it forever? Aren't you denying your true self if you can't even go after what your heart longs for?

Am I just rambling now? I don't know.

Maybe I should try to sleep...