Poly-Mono Relationshps. (Reseach I Did On The Topic Authers Included)
What is Commitment?
*Lou’s high school class is discussing the continuum of relationships—from uncommitted to committed bonds—and where certain behaviors fall along that line. Everything goes smoothly until the teacher puts monogamy at the extreme commitment end.
“No,” says Lou, “that’s not right. You don’t have to be monogamous in order to be committed.”
The teacher is surprised. “Of course you do.”
“No you don’t,” replies Lou, whose parents are in a committed relationship with another couple.
Finally the teacher is willing to admit that maybe it’s possible that some people could be committed but not be monogamous.
The word polyamory (“many loves”) describes a style of relating in which people are open to multiple, honest, responsible, loving, sexual relationships. These are “design your own” relationships. Not restricted by the traditional mores of marriage and monogamy, the individuals involved try to create the type of intimate connections that work for them and their partners.
What does commitment in a polyamorous relationship look like? The traditional concept of marriage and commitment doesn’t seem to be working in our society, where an estimated 40 to 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. People who are polyamorous give a different perspective about commitment, a commitment that does not require being sexually and emotionally exclusive with each other.
Till death do us part
More than forty years after they got together, Trish and Abe still have a vibrant and vital relationship. Their commitment to each other has been unwavering.
They met in a college theater class, and were drawn together by their common sense of humor. On their first date, Trish had what she describes as a very bizarre experience. Suddenly she started shuddering, shivering, and crying. It took her many years to understand that she had had a premonition of the enormity of this relationship.
Within two months of that first date they were committed to each...
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