The most important, though perhaps the least glamorous, part of our relationship is the rules we follow. They are a simple set of five rules that have kept us safe, happy and together over the years. Without these rules, I doubt our relationship could have worked at all.
They are, in order:
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Safe sex only. No exceptions.
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Nothing behind each others back, everything is out in the open and honest.
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If something bothers you, tell the other partner immediately.
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If informed that something is bothering the other, whatever it is stops immediately and we retreat to talk about it.
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This is about having fun and sharing love, if it ever stops being about that, we stop doing it.
The goal of the rules is to create a cycle of protection that prevents someone from being hurt. We would much rather not get laid than hurt one another in the quest to do so. We have passed on many opportunities for easy sex because it would have violated the rules and will continue to do so.
It’s how we have lasted seven years and how we will make it through our next seven.
