Let's Be Friends (with Benefits)

The ideal relationship? Maybe. Less stressful than an affair, longer-lived than the infamous one-night stand, and more casual than an actual union. It's an easy, breezy, fun, carefree & convenient arrangement...until someone falls harder than the other person involved! Are the benefits actual "benefits" when there's a possibility for a great friendship to be ruined by unreciprocated feelings? Is there a fear of committment that pushes one toward an F.W.B. situation? I mean, you get the warm fuzzies of being around a familiar friend, yet there are no strings attatched and both parties are free to "do them". So in essence, just how ideal is this arrangement? For some, the thought of an actual commited relationship is enough to make one run for the hills, so the F.W.B. arrangement is almost like a signature now. Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free? So now the rules of friendship have been altered, almost to a degree of uncertain awkwardness. What if one party goes into an F.W.B. with hopes of it leading to something more? Reports show that about 1/10 of these arrangements do lead to commitments, but that is such a small number on such a large scale. What about the rut that you end up falling into? When one or both F.W.B.'s get super comfy dealing in this arrangement, and one or both end up venturing out elsewhere....hmmm....awkward maybe? All in all, being F.W.B.'s definitely takes a certain amount of being able to stay mentally and emotionally "in check". Even on those cuddly nights where the two seem to be & look like the King & Queen of Coupledom, F.W.B.'s still must keep it in the forefront of their minds that...they are still just F.W.B.'s! So, what happens when one willing participant does begin to catch feelings? Options aren't exactly a plenty--suck it up, keep it to yourself and secretly hope that your fellow F.W.B feels the same, roll the dice and disclose how you feel come hell or high water, or just chunk the deuces to the situation in its entirety because you've come to the realization that you aren't in fact mentally & emotionally ready to deal. The F.W.B. arrangement is definitely the "gray area" of adult relations. There is just so much involved...just like an actual relationship if you will. If this is the road one decides to travel, all I can say is put your best game face on and be ready for anything!...because baby let me tell you, if you're unable to maintain the situation, you'll be playing a losing game.