February Word of the Month:LOYAL

Another month another power word. Loyal....makes me think of a big yellow dog sitting curled up by my feet at night. Loyalty is another one of those words that resonates to the very core of who I am. I may be loyal to a fault. My loyalty has most undoubtedly cost me financially,socially , emotionally and physically. I know full well that my devotion to a particular cause,person organization or belief has at times kept me from exploring and venturing off in hopes of finding the next shiny object or pot of gold.Loyalty connects to and is consistent with fairness and appreciation.It comes with a sense of understanding and acceptance.Words like devotion and dedication come to mind when I think about being loyal.
This is probably why I become so offended,hurt and disoriented when my loyalty is questioned. Even worse is when that loyalty is not recognized at all and at times betrayed.It is incomprehensible to me that being loyal is not #1 in every one's personal behavior.I don't judge it....I just don't understand it.
It's simple....you don't just walk away. You never turn your back on someone or something.You never give up . You always look for the goodness, the kindness, the possibilities.
Here's the bad part of being loyal. It can be painful and expensive!The costs associated with loyalty can be staggering. The part I often fear is that I never completely understand the rewards that come with this loyalty. That is other than my ability to like the person I see in the mirror every single time I look into his eyes!