Missing Normal...Struggling, Loving and Learning

[MonoVCPHG]

I have been struggling a lot lately in regards to missing "normalcy" in how it used to be defined for me. Although I was never fully connected to the people in my old social community it was comfortable, stable, and understood. It was also what most of the people around me were doing and I'm totally ok with not questioning or going against the flow.

I find peace in being separate from "communities" in general. Although I blend easily enough with most I never feel attached or integrated despite how it looks on the outside. I have always been very social but don't seek out people to surround myself with. They flow passed me and I exchange passing words while we are in earshot. I can walk the streets of Hong Kong and still feel alone. I like this, being alone is a nice place for me.

I have felt some resentment in being pulled into another community through my relationship with Redpepper. Compounding my natural resistance to community involvement is the fact that this is an extremely different community than I have known and been raised in. Poly, sex positive, kink, BDSM, even activism, socialism, vegetarianism, and passionate environmentalism are all different to me in a community sense and yet they are a part of my life now. I am learning and finding enjoyment in some of these new areas but the sheer pressure of this feels like a tidal wave sometimes.

Individually I find the people I have met to be creative, thoughtful, involved, fun and certainly interesting….when I think of the "community" as a whole, I lose sight of the individual faces and see a large burry foreign object coming at me with experiences I have a hard time relating to and approaches to life that threaten my old idea of "normal".
Before I would simply turn away from the oncoming strangeness or lash out to disperse it. But amongst that big daunting cloud is a glowing radiance that I feel destined to be with.

Love is not enough for me to be healthy. I have to be comfortable with the new social direction my life has taken. I don't see how I can separate myself from the community the woman I love embraces and wants; if it remains unknown than it remains a threat. I've played that out in my head and it would be "the beginning of the end" for me. It would be like living a separate life or having a casual relationship that is not acceptable for me. I am either romantically in or out. I can be friend or full blown Love, but nothing in between; there are no half measures with Redpepper.

So I struggle. I'm forcing myself to let go of an old community that I never really belonged to. I'm pushing myself to embrace the community the woman I love enjoys and am making headway for sure. I have a long way to go in coming to terms with this area of inner conflict but I get so much support from Redpepper and her husband.

The love I have for Redpepper is immense and has made me work harder than in any other relationship because the issues span a broad spectrum. Dealing with the mono-poly thing is just the tip of the iceberg in our relationship. We have taken a dive off a cliff and the waters are a lot deeper than they look….I just need to avoid drowning.

Peace and Love
Mono

[redpepper]

I will pull you back up love

[MonoVCPHG]

Originally Posted by redpepper

I will pull you back up love

Thanks Lilo....If it gets too much you can just hold my baldy head under

[River]

Mono-,

Being a part of a community -- or shall we (better!) say The Community -- should never mean giving up your own self and dissolving into something foreign and strange.

I say "The Community" because we're all members of a singular Community, EarthLife. We all dwell in this one round (and thin!) biosphere. There's nothing at all "out there" or weird about that -- it's a simple fact: we share the same air. We're all part of the dynamic interconnected flows and patterns of chemistry, energy, information flows, etc.... -- But, of course, we aren't all quite "awake" to this Community. Our identities are usually smaller than we are.

Just be yourself, man, and be willing to be affected by others -- their ideas and experiences, etc..., their perceptions and beliefs.... Keep your own ever-moving center by dancing with life. You are not in danger of being swallowed up into the Borg ... unless that's what you really want.

[MonoVCPHG]

Originally Posted by River

be willing to be affected by others .

I think this is something I need to work on. Redpepper has definitely had an influence on me but I am very slow to allow change. Thanks River.

[River]

You're doing fine, in so many ways, Mono-. Just keep dancing! (literally or metaphorically--or both). You will find that you can easily be authentically yourself AND of service to your--ever changing, evolving-- best hope for our Community.

[Morningglory629]

Originally Posted by MonoVCPHG

I have been struggling a lot lately in regards to missing "normalcy" in how it used to be defined for me. Although I was never fully connected to the people in my old social community it was comfortable, stable, and understood. It was also what most of the people around me were doing and I'm totally ok with not questioning or going against the flow.


I have felt some resentment in being pulled into another community through my relationship with Redpepper.

Poly, sex positive, kink, BDSM, even activism, socialism, vegetarianism, and passionate environmentalism are all different to me in a community sense and yet they are a part of my life now. I am learning and finding enjoyment in some of these new areas but the sheer pressure of this feels like a tidal wave sometimes.


Love is not enough for me to be healthy. I have to be comfortable with the new social direction my life has taken. I don't see how I can separate myself from the community the woman I love embraces and wants; if it remains unknown than it remains a threat. I've played that out in my head and it would be "the beginning of the end" for me. It would be like living a separate life or having a casual relationship that is not acceptable for me. I am either romantically in or out. I can be friend or full blown Love, but nothing in between; there are no half measures with Redpepper.

So I struggle. I'm forcing myself to let go of an old community that I never really belonged to. I'm pushing myself to embrace the community the woman I love enjoys and am making headway for sure. I have a long way to go in coming to terms with this area of inner conflict but I get so much support from Redpepper and her husband.

The love I have for Redpepper is immense and has made me work harder than in any other relationship because the issues span a broad spectrum. Dealing with the mono-poly thing is just the tip of the iceberg in our relationship. We have taken a dive off a cliff and the waters are a lot deeper than they look….I just need to avoid drowning.

Peace and Love
Mono

Just wow. Articulate the struggle is more than what you did. I feel it man, and I am the poly one. Not sure how you are feeling now since I haven't been on here regularly but you nailed the overarching problem we all face in the mono-poly "border state." Even as a poly, I struggle with the anti-traditional or counter-to-everything-I-ever-knew way of living. Thanks Mon. As always I appreciate you.