'Torn Between Two Lovers' (meme)

I met and fell in love with one much later than the other, but didn't fall out of love with the first (to whom I am married).

It worked out well, partly because I was only in close proximity to number 2 for a short time. Even so, I felt torn for a long time afterwards. I believe it was difficult for him too, although he accepted my situation. Eventually he also fell in love with someone else and they have been together ever since. To all intents and purposes we have become friends. We know it's rather more than that, and so do our partners, but we are all mature people and all these loves are true loves of the soul, so there is no jealousy, and we have got over the longing. 

It undoubtedly helps that we live in different countries and all concerned know there is no intention of wrecking our primary relationships. In fact it's perfectly clear that we're all married to the right people. (There are lots of people one could love, not so many one could be successfully married to.)

Nevertheless it's an important connection and we are in each other's lives to stay, even though we don't expect to meet in person again.

I'm sure it has been difficult for our partners too, but they have come to terms with it in great generosity of spirit and we all regard each other as dear friends, though some of us are closer than others.

From the first, I made a decision that it wasn't going to be about suffering!