so I've just been to what can best be described as a 'commitment party' for two good friends who have been in a loving and open relationship for about five years. It's been open in theory but not particularly actively so apart from occasional threesomes and doubtless other flings I've no reason to know about.

The party was to celebrate their relationship and status as an ongoing stable couple, as an alternative to getting married which they've always said they have no intention of doing.

The following morning they and all our mutual friends met up again and I couldn't help but notice that the two of them had basically swapped partners with another long term couple who we're also friends with. This other couple are engaged to be actually married in a proper churchy way.

So the two couples both now have a kind of permanent 'primary' partner. But are also described as 'going out' with each other's partners. Whilst when I first noticed I found it slightly odd I'm not really surprised by it, knowing the first couple as I do. In fact I think it's quite sweet. I think the four of them are the kind of people and are close enough as friends to make this kind of thing work. So it's kind of cool and probably really nice for them all.

I didn't ask questions about specifics (mostly because we were in a bowling alley and I was winning). But I'd imagine there's sex involved, as well as some new degree of intimacy & 'dating' between what you might call the new 'secondary' partners.

What does everyone think about this sort of thing? Would you try it? Is it responsible for our nation's moral decline? Are these people depraved/greedy or enlightened/forward thinking?

DiScuss