Originally Posted by
MissPerfumado 
It's not the physical intimacy that concerns me but the emotional intimacy. The emotional generally follows the physical and is difficult to regulate.
This choice of relationship is about honesty, communication and maturity. It takes a lot of self-regulation and is not easy, but can be very rewarding. For a long time I have had a vision of maintaining that certain lifestyle which I have only ever attained for short periods of time. I wonder if I can attain it with sobriety. I wonder if I am up to it.
after a couple years sober I got into a relationship(dating?) with a wonderful woman. it wasn't "normal" for me to be in a relationship with a woman that never had a drinking or drug problem, had her priorites straight and had a very loving heart. it was reeeeallly weird and I was rather lost. I talked to a good friend about it.
he said,"knowing what I know of ya,tom, you've been learning in other areas of your life how to adult. now it just sounds like ya have to learn how to adult in a relationship- ya have to learn how to accept love without letting what happened in past relationships control your actions today. just BE through the feelings. what you've said to me about her, shes quite better at adulting than you, so you might want to open up some and let her know whats going on with ya- that communication thing that is part of adulting. and one more thing- lifes a journey-slow down. youre dating."
not exactly worded like that, but apropos.