Sometimes creating authentic relationships requires taking a step back — Are you free to meet up sometime this morning or evening? I received this text message from Shawn at 8am. I have never, in the three months we’ve been dating each other, received an 8 am text from them. I’ve sent at least one 8 am text, feeling anxious, needing…

I don’t have time or energy to run after Peter Pan, but it’d be great to jog alongside a friend and lover — Dreams Last night, I was walking down the sidewalk and my legs gave out. A cute guy I had just checked out saw me collapsing and came to help me. My dream self did what my real self is too shy to do upon first meeting someone new — I flirted. …

This is the origin of our love story — We are lying in bed together, lining up our fingertips to touch. There’s a deep feeling of intimacy as we talk about nothing and everything. I feel open, vulnerable, and safe. “You’re my favorite person,” he murmurs, kissing the top of my head. I feel a smile start deep inside…

I’m finding my footing as my partner’s other relationship goes on hiatus — It was a Friday night and I’d been avoiding going to bed because I fully expected to lie awake and toss and turn if I did, my brain refusing to shut off. …

After a period of polyamory-induced despair, I’m beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel — I’ll be honest: this story about my life improving since my polyamory-induced mental health crisis has been sitting in my Google Docs folder for multiple weeks. I wrote it when I was feeling good, but since then, there have been several ups and downs. It almost felt dishonest to publish…

Maybe now is the time to return to my childhood love — (Spoiler warning: The first chapter of Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich) When he’s gone on dates, sometimes I suffer. Anxiety, sadness, and a fear of abandonment come up. But I’m also glad for the time to myself. Late last night, I sat in the back yard with a clip-on reading…

My long-term partner is dating while I’m craving monogamy — This morning, I woke up feeling sad about the way things have been over the past six months. My long term partner has been dating someone seriously for the first time since we opened our relationship seven years ago, while I’ve been craving the comforts of monogamy. I’m slowly coming…

A poem about a complicated somethingship — I thought I had this game figured out: who can express the least amount of love to receive the most in return? I believe you’ve won. I lick droplets of your love and call it quenching thirst, I inhale sips of your scent and call it memory. I remember our…

I have my first kinky “play partner” and I’m digging it — I’m heading out for a 2-hour drive to visit Aaron today. I met him online specifically seeking someone to practice rope with. Our very first time tying, the erotic energy was strong between us, but it has since faded. Now when he ties me, I feel soothed, safe, dreamy, and…