I think it depends on what we mean by “vanilla”. If you mean going from open-minded and sexually adventurous to buttoned-up and battened-down then I would like to think that it is impossible barring an untimely conversion or some other equal tragedy. I really don’t think you can put that genie back in the bottle.
But if you mean going from swinging to “not swinging” then it really is pretty easy – and you don’t even have to try for it to happen.
We LOVE swinging and for a few years we were extremely active – every night on every weekend and dinner through the week with friends. Even our travel was focused mostly on swinging. Then one day, we had to put things on hold. Life, death, illness, children, money, no money… Take your pick just don’t write your priorities in pen.
A month turned into a year as one thing after another piled on and before we knew it two years had passed. I kind of missed it, but didn’t have time to think about it.
I used to wonder how life would look once our bedroom door was closed to everyone but us, and I never dreamed I’d find out the answer this early. I think I was afraid that it would be tough to go back to monogamy. But what I learned is this: the same things that make it possible to survive swinging also make it possible to survive without it.
Trust, communication, love, commitment, honesty… I’ll bet we could flesh out this list if we wanted.
Outside of swinging our sex life has gotten better and better. I can confidently say that the best sex I’ve ever had has been in the last week. Ask me in a week and I’ll be able to use that line again (as long as she keeps doing that one thing she does). Sexually I really don’t miss it - and I’m fairly certain that if a couple goes in and comes out with the right attitude and at the right time, they won’t miss much either.
Don’t get me wrong – I enjoyed my playmates and had amazing sex with many of them. Some of my best sexual memories are definitely wrapped up in swinging. We haven’t closed the door entirely. There is always a place on our pillow for the friends we’ve made (hint, hint - you know who you are) and we are open to new friends should lightening strike. And, yes, our lightening rod does get raised now and then.
But I don’t miss the long nights, the crazy weekends, the “blind dates”, the endless email, the hangovers... I don’t miss the pettiness, gossip, drama, etc. that is the part of any community, including our little swing community here in Ohio. We’ve talked about getting back in, but if we do it will have to be in a way that cuts down on what we don’t miss and gets us back to what we do.
But no hurry.
I guess the answer is – it really isn’t that hard. Mrs Spoomonkey and I have always been “Partners in crime” and we remain that way. Our crimes change, but the partnership hasn’t. We’re happy, googly-eyed in love, and the bed still shakes the neighbors. We were “us” coming in and we are “us” going out.
Spoomonkey