My Polyamory Penumbra

An experience led me to understand some "grey areas" of non-monogamy.

Photo by yue su on Unsplash

I have experienced a lot these thirty-seven years, and I take my knowledge and write about everything. To put a spin on one of the best lines from Game of Thrones, "That's what I do, I write, and I know things."

I acknowledge it may make me seem like a lawful good polyamorist who does no wrong. So it's time to write about my latest mistake. I'm not perfect; I'm still human, making errors and trying to find my way. Despite everything I've encountered, life keeps challenging and surprising me. One of these surprises happened this August when I discovered "My Polyamory Penumbra."

According to Merriam-Webster online, a penumbra is "A space of partial illumination (as in an eclipse) between the perfect shadow on all sides and the full light."

So, I usually write about what wisdom I have gained from my experiences, those moments where I see the light. However, I am writing about being stuck in the shadows in this post.

I'd always seen polyamory as black or white or the giant umbrella of ethical non-monogamy. According to https://www.marriage.com/advice/relationship/ethical-non-monogamy/, the definition of ethical non-monogamy is:

Ethical non-monogamy is a romantic relationship that is not exclusively between two…