Is Submission a gift

[leah06]

I understand why people shy away from calling this a gift, but I'm not totally comfortable with thinking of a power exchange as a totally negotiated bargain either. I think that in any relationship people have to make a choice, conscious or not, to trust the other person and to be vulnerable, and to take responsibility for accepting the other person's trust and vulnerability also. Otherwise we would all be walking around in a world of transactions and negotiations. This might be magnified in a D/s setting, but it's really the same in any relationship. Because the D/s interaction amplifies the trust and vulnerability on one side, and the acceptance of responsibility on the other, it is easy to see to transfer as a one-sided gift, from the submissive to the dominant. So submission is a gift.

But I wonder. People have spoken of the gift the dominant brings to the interaction, and of course that's there too - accepting responsibility, being worthy of the trust placed in him or her - but I wonder if the dominant is also offering trust and vulnerability as well. I would think so.

[QuietMaster]

But I wonder. People have spoken of the gift the dominant brings to the interaction, and of course that's there too - accepting responsibility, being worthy of the trust placed in him or her - but I wonder if the dominant is also offering trust and vulnerability as well. I would think so.

There indeed is an exchange of a gift. The Dominant indeed has accepted the submissive's gift of surrendering herself, first to herself, then freely to the Dominant.

With that exchange of gift, the Dominant has indicated his responsibilities and stewardship tho marshall the submissive's qualities for mutual satisfaction.

Each partner is vulnarable in the relationship.

[Matin]

i think it is a gift...

i have this bone deep need to be the nurturer, the guide, the protector, and the master of my tiny little fiefdom.

some how i meet this woman who has the strength to give me HERSELF, and by doing so fulfill both of us.

it feels like christmas morning to me, but back when i was tiny and there was still wonder in the world. like that.