Monday Apr 18, 2011 – By Jamilah Lemieux The average s*xually active adult can name at least two previous partners that came before their current one. That means that each and every day, we are out functioning in the world along side someone who knows what we look like in the throes of passion (or at least they should know what that looks like). They can be in the same grocery store, working in the next cubicle over, or even playing ball at the gym with your new tender.
Deep, right?
I’m being silly, of course. But learning to share space with someone you used to get down with can be a bit awkward, but it doesn’t have to be! At least not forever. You see, while there are those who you used to have relationships with and now hate immensely, there are also those folks who may have simply been a bad fit for you. Or the person that you casually hooked up with between relationships. The friend you chased away a drought with. The dude you dated and just sort of naturally fell off from dealing with. They are still out here, in these streets, knowing what you look like naked.
How do you handle that? If that’s ever been a concern of yours, you’ll be glad to know that there isn’t always a lot of ceremony required after the lights have been turned on for good. You have not signed a contract that says this person owns a piece of you for as long as he or she shall live. And despite the potential for awkwardness early on, the post-s*xual era of your relationship (be it a “hi” and “bye” one or even a great friendship) doesn’t need to be dramatic or hard.
I got to thinking about this when a friend of mine told me about seeing her former lover with his fiancée at a shopping mall this past weekend.
“He seemed to expect for there to be some weirdness, but I really didn’t care,” she told me. “The relationship was never serious to me and I’m really happy for him. I’ve moved on and I’m glad he did, too!”
That’s great, because the post-s*xual relationship really needn’t be much different than the ones you have with people you’ve never twisted the sheets with.
If you and a former boudoir buddy were always casual and decided to cease the s*xual part of your arrangement, treat them with the same warmth and kindness you always did. If you’ve moved into a true friendship, then put the past aside and don’t worry over what you used to do. Don’t let cynics tell you that men and women can’t be friends, or that you can’t be friends after you’ve hooked up. It simply isn’t true.
Now, be mindful: it’s one thing to be past your s*xual connection with someone and another for there to be some residual lust on the part of one or both parties. If you are both single and find that you can pick up where you left off with no problems, rock on. But if either of you have since entered a relationship or have determined that the s*x thing is not in your best interest, then it is important that you keep the boundaries clear and avoid situations that can cloud your judgment (i.e. hanging out without other folks around, drinking, etc).
If you have a new person in your life and find that they are linked somehow to a past lover, proceed with great caution. Some folks can deal with hearing, “I just wanted you to know that I used to kick it with Steve from your boxing class,” while others (who may even be okay with hearing stories about previous situations) can’t cope with putting names to faces. However, if you think there’s a remote possibility that the former may say something about you to the current, then you need to have a conversation with one or both of them. Just know, if the person you used to deal with is inclined to point you out to anyone and say “Yo, I used to hit that”…you need to improve upon your lover vetting procedures.
Also, not everyone has the same post-coital grace and manners. If a former partner treats or speaks of you with ill-regard just after s*x or after ceasing to deal with them on a physical or romantic level, then that’s their failing. In the future, look for signs of this sort of character deficiency prior to getting intimate; if there are any signs of disrespect, then you shouldn’t let this person take any space in your life, physically or otherwise. At the end of the day, some people are just jerks and you can’t let it assault your self-esteem.
s*x is grown-up business, so if you are going go there, you got to be grown-up about it all the way through. Unless someone ran your emotions and/or your name through the mud, you should be able to smile and say “What’s up” when you see them in the streets. Acting funny or running the other way is completely unnecessary. Unless you marry the first person you sleep with and stay with them so long as you live, you’ll likely encounter past lovers. It’s a part of life. Relax and keep it moving.
Posted By:
Wednesday, April 20th 2011 at 10:53AM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
