POLYAMORY

We used to call it promiscuity or infidelity. We used to condemn the very idea of marital infidelity.

Just in time for some kind of weird version of Valentine's Day comes "Pairs With Spares: For Polyamorists With a Whole Lotta Love, Three, or More, Is Never a Crowd," an article in the February 13, 2008 edition of the Washington Post, in the "Style Section." Excerpt:

...Polyamory isn't about sex, polys tell you. It is about love. It is about loving your primary partner enough to love that they have a new secondary partner, even when their New Relationship Energy with that person leaves you, briefly, out in the cold. It's about loving yourself enough to acknowledge that your needs cannot be met by one loving person. It's about loving love enough to embrace it in unexpected form -- like maybe in the form of your primary's new secondary! -- in which case you may all form a triad and live happily together....

The article concludes as follows:

Victoria and LaVasseur have signed up to be facilitators at a cuddle party -- a nonsexual outlet for people of all ages to spoon, tickle, pat and snuggle each other. It requires facilitators because cuddle parties come with 40 minutes' worth of rules on how to snuggle respectfully.

The two of them aren't sitting anywhere near each other; in fact, LaVasseur is demonstrating proper cuddle etiquette with another woman, one old enough to be his mother.

Victoria looks on contentedly; she catches his eye and they smile.

They seem ridiculously in love.

Sheesh! This is considered NORMAL??? EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY?

Read the rest of the article, which goes on at some length about the Poly Living Convention recently held in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. The Washington Post's web site also offers a short slideshow.

People like me, married over 35 years to one partner and absolutely insistent on fidelity for my ONE partner, Mr. AOW, and myself, are old fashioned, I guess. We don't celebrate Valentine's Day with OTHER partners.