One thing I don't understand about open relationships: If you can love and play with all sorts of different people, what is it that makes your actual relationship special? In most relationships, it's the sex and intimacy that separates that relationship from those you have with your other friends and family members. If the sex is happening all over the place with many different people, what sets the actual relationship apart?
I realize some people can separate sex and romance/intimacy, so maybe the actual relationship would be sexual and intimate whereas the "play" relationships are sexual not NOT intimate? Is this how it works? I'm fascinated because it's so foreign to me.
The other thing I find confusing about it is time. There are only so many hours of free time in a day, and it seems difficult for most working couples to set aside time for romantic date nights, dinners together, etc let alone intense sexual things like bondage sessions. So if you had to divide that precious time between your partner AND other people, I'd think that would stretch things even more thin and lessen the intimacy.
Of course, if these play sessions are only occurring once in a great while, it makes more sense.
