Loyal 'Til The End
/Loyalty is as loyalty does.
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How long is it to the end?
Loyalty, like Love, BFF, and other declarations of commitment have a season. Nothing on this earth is forever, no matter how much we wish it were otherwise. Passions flair, passions fade. The Sun rises, the Sun sets. Change is the only constant.
Loyalty that lasts long enough to get the job done should be respected. Loyalty that lasts forever is the stuff of childish dreamers. Adults should content themselves with reasonable loyalty.
Loyalty is a contract.
I’ll pledge my troth to you if you pledge your troth to me. If either party breaks that troth, then loyalty should no longer be expected or demanded.
Loyalty is conditional.
The only exception to this is the love of mothers for their children and dogs for their significant other.
In both of those cases, loyalty is forever.
Otherwise, loyalty is better thought of as an agreement between consenting parties. Breach of contract by the party of the first part precludes any complaint of disloyalty by the party of the second part.
My friend, Eddy, has a squirrel that sets next to him on summer afternoons. They are loyal friends. Eddy feeds his squirrel friend peanuts that he keeps in his pocket for just this purpose.
Should Eddy forget to load the peanuts in his pocket for a few days, the squirrel would probably consider this a breach of contract and break off their once loyal relationship.
That’s just the way of things.
BFF’s become former BFF’s when one of the friends forgets about the peanuts.
Some will say, “How crass. Have you no respect for true love and devoted friendship”?
To which, I answer – It’s because I respect true love and devoted friendship that I feel obligated to remember the peanuts.
Shouldn’t everyone?
Respect for those you love requires no less.
Loyalty is as loyalty does.
By K. L. Shipley
Website: https://www.eclecticessays