Thought of the day. Poly connections that become friendships are the hidden killer feature of poly.

When you approach each new connection without any expectations and work to not try to fit that person into some label or framework that corresponds to what you're looking for, you are both free to fit into each other's lives in whatever way is natural, based on who you both are and what the chemistry is. They might become a casual lover or a long-time partner. But they also may end up being a dear friend, someone who adds great value to your life on a continuing basis.

This has been my journey. Poly and not bringing expectations to that first "date", saying goodbye to many/most, but finding that some people stick around in your life. I now find myself having not only a wonderful deeply loved partner, but a handful of very dear friends. The friendships are not "less" than the partnership. They just play a different role in my life. I value them deeply and am so thankful that poly has given me such a rich set of humans, the dramatis personae of my life. The common thread is love. I love all of these humans, no matter the role that they play in my life.