LadiesBladewing -> RE: Any advice? (10/3/2005 6:36:41 PM)
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I've wondered sometimes why we never ended up in this situation in our earlier relationship, even with 3 dominants and a half-dozen servants. The one thing I wonder about is that we never really had the "first", "second", "third" thing going on. I wonder how much difference that makes, when you're just part of the whole, and not a "leftover". Not to say that we didn't have a hierarchy, because we did--and it was a very clear one. We even had a "first slave"...but it wasn't about who was -there- first, it was about who could handle the responsibility of being the first "manager" for the servants. The Guides didn't really have a 'hierarchy' per se. Each of them oversaw the things they were best at, and they talked a LOT about issues that would come up. All the servants served everyone, and were trained, disciplined and petted on, as the occasion required, by any and everyone. The dominants talked to the servants, and respected their opinions, discomforts, individual quirks, and the special gifts each brought to the family, and the servants felt the same way about the dominants. Not to say that blowups didn't happen--it wouldn't be a family if there weren't challenges and things to work out and work through as we all grew and changed...but in the end (and even after the House broke into smaller groups due to death, work and family requirements outside of our collective), we all loved and still love one another. I wonder if, perhaps, it isn't, in part, the whole stratification of poly relationships that leads to so much angst. It seems to me that when you are part of a family, it really is a communal effort, no matter which side of the collar one is on, and setting mates or submissives into stratifying relationships seems to me to be a strong contender for introducing stress, strife and insecurity. I know that as we work on growing our core family again after the discorporation of 2 of our mates, we are looking for companions first, as full members of the family once time has shown us compatible. Submissive/dominant dynamic issues come second and, while integral, a real blending is the first goal. Just some thoughts, for whatever they're worth. Lady Zephyr quote:
ORIGINAL: teapaw Personally, I have been a third. It sucked! [clipped]
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