Originally Posted by
EndGameNYC 
One of the trademarks in healthy relationships is the existence and maintenance of other interpersonal relationships that fulfill one or more of the many needs that one's partner is simply incapable of meeting, through no fault of their own. Some of these "relationships" are simply activities that are not shared with one's spouse, and which may or may not involve interacting with other people.
A lot of folks disagree with this, and many are threatened by extra-marital relationships, even when those relationships make for a happier marriage. I'm not at all talking about having an affair, which typically is a red flag that there are some serious, unresolved problems in the relationship. I'm talking about living independently within a relationship.
For me, the relative health of my relationships mirrors my own individual health as a human being.
Beautifully described. Thank you. So many people project all of their wishes, expectations, needs, sources of happiness and desire for meaningful interaction into one interpersonal connection, one relationship. I feel (and most of my life experiences so far support this) that it's utterly unrealistic.
For example, I consider myself bisexual. No need to get into how all of my interests cannot be found in one single person. And right now I'm in a quite satisfying relationship with a girlfriend, but I can't talk with her about my alcohol problems much. It does not mean that we don't have a good relationship, at all. There are just different points of focus and this even changes in time.
Please don't view a relationship as flawed just because it cannot bridge everything!