Some thoughts about polyamory and how to make sure your colors, joy, and growth as a person in a relationship don't fade over time.

I saw some beautifully decorated Thai bird cages but the birds in them weren't as bright and active as the ones I'd seen in the wild. Instead they just sat there, kinda meek and pale, as if they had lost their colors to the cage.

I've been thinking about polyamory, and whether or not there's an irony similar to the cage analogy to be found in the idealization of monogamy. To allow a partner to be free to continue exploring and learning about themselves through other people seems to stem from a very conscious kind of love, care, and trust. Once you open that cage and start thinking of which rules of engagement would actually suit both, well, there's a whole world of options out there.