Navigating Love and Lies: The Complexities of a Polyamorous Relationship
I’ve always considered myself an open-minded and free-spirited person, so when my partner Joel* (*pseudonym given to protect his privacy) and I agreed we both oriented toward polyamory, I felt relieved that I had found the freedom to pursue my own needs and desires while still being able to relax and grow within the confines of a committed relationship.
We agreed on a few ground rules: honesty, communication, and putting our relationship first. It sounded simple enough, and, in many ways, it worked. But then, I started bending the rules — or maybe I just ignored them altogether. I didn’t tell Joel about some of my “extracurricular” activities. Sometimes it was because I didn’t want to deal with his questions, and other times, it was because I convinced myself it wasn’t important. They were just casual hookups focused purely on physical release, I told myself — and him, when he caught on.
