Enjoyment for the Short Term

Last night I hung out with my friend who's a PhD philosophy student. We talked about how Aristotle defines friendship into three categories - 1)Friends with a purpose (ex: networking) 2)Friends for pleasure (ex: friends with benefits) and 3) True friendship.

Thinking about this I'm realizing I've been experimenting with the many forms of friends for pleasure. It's something that I've never been comfortable with because I always wanted the emotional connection to go along with the physical bond. Maybe it's the catholic guilt in me that's kept me from having friendships for pleasure - or maybe it's my romantic notions. Whatever the reason I'm entering into previously unexplored territory and I'm seeking out relationships that fill a short term desire.

The men in my life lately have not inspired any great spiritual connection, but I've been able to have fun with them and let it end there. It's a difficult line to draw - strange to stop people from becoming 'real' relationships while keeping them at the friends-for-fun level.

I think this is a phase for me and not necessarily a pattern I plan on continuing for the long term, but it's been an interesting process. Like any new 'unexplored territory' I'm learning more about myself and the things I want from a partner.

Overall this limited connection is unsatisfying and soon I'll get bored and start to prefer being alone to having some immediate needs satisfied... but for now I'm trying to just enjoy... sometimes easier said than done!