The Weekly Skirt Report - Loyalty

This Week's Report is about Loyalty. I hope.

The dictionary definition of the word is:

loy·al·ty

  [loi-uhl-tee]  Show IPA

noun, plural loy·al·ties.

1.

the state or quality of being loyal; faithfulness to commitments or obligations.

2.

faithful adherence to a sovereign, government, leader, cause, etc.

3.

an example or instance of faithfulness, adherence, or the like: a man with fierce loyalties.

Origin: 
1350–1400; Middle English loialte  < Middle French.  See loyal, -ty2

Related forms

non·loy·al·ty, noun, plural non·loy·al·ties.

o·ver·loy·al·ty, noun, plural o·ver·loy·al·ties.

un·loy·al·ty, noun, plural un·loy·al·ties.

Synonyms 
2. fealty, devotion, constancy. Loyalty, allegiance, fidelity all imply a sense of duty or of devoted attachment to something or someone. Loyalty connotes sentiment and the feeling of devotion that oneholds for one's country, creed, family, friends, etc. Allegiance applies particularly to a citizen's duty to his or her country, or, by extension, one's obligation to support a party, cause, leader, etc. Fidelity implies unwavering devotion and allegiance to a person, principle, etc.

BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN NOW... from the origin in 1350 to now 2014... 

Is it the same? Is it abused? 

If we think life was WAY different in 1350, it was the Italian Renaissance, one of my most favored times in human kind. Art, religion, inventions, it was a growth time. People finding out things that made them loyal to each other, being enlightened with the world around them. It unfortunately started with the Black Death, so maybe that's why it started because the population had to rely on each other to survive. And as this time period continued, it prospered to a larger note for example, had we not been loyal to the arts, we would've never known the unique mind of Leonardo Di Vinci, Michelangelo or la famiglia De Medici. 

So fast forward the tape, to 2014...

We see alot of people separate from their loyalty to each other over money, betrayal, mental and emotional power over each other. Married people, business to business, charities falling a part due to misconduct. Even churches fall apart due to disagreements on the simple things, like gay marriage. What folks don't realize, that there are probably more gay marriages lasting longer than ones with a man and a woman, and we forget that you go to the COURTS first to get your license to be unionized, and after that it's up to you to run down the aisle or not. Okay so that was a run off on a small tangent. But the word loyalty runs through that too.

But a lot of what we are seeing nowadays, starts with financial woes - why did A take all that money from B?

Or why did the baseball player leave his hometown team? More money or better chances at bat?
Probably money.

Maybe it's to gain political power. To over throw a country we are seeing that in Ukraine and Venezuela. Governments to rise above and sink others. By the way how does one over take a building nowadays - lick the door knob? NOW to me to over throw a country that is corrupt and make it better so everyone can be happy is different but money and power is still at large. Running around trying to find its place. BUT it is a noble thing to do. 

But what about personal loyalty to friends, family, companies we work for, restaurants, even dry cleaners! These things shouldn't have any money to come between them but it does. It does. I find myself, looking around at others my age, and I can count on two hands how many jobs they have had compared to my 18 years at my one. I can see in banks or loan officers the gleam in their eyes that I've held the same job for that long - that aha! moment but is it such a big deal now. 

Back in the old days... you know when your dad or granddad would work for a place for YEARS he got rewarded, with a good pension plan and retirement so everyone would be happy. Is that a dream now? Having loyalty given back to you for being just that. A good employee. Dotting I's and crossing T's?

I am starting to question this word myself. I throw myself at the mercy of some and I get flung back into space. I take friendships and working relationships very seriously to the point of default. Is that a point against me? Is that a sin that I'm even bringing it up? Or am I hurting myself? Thoughts race through my head, well, I don't wanna damaged anything so when that time comes or a reputation gets bruised then I am not the good girl. 

Now. I am not sure.
Then two days later I am sure.
Or am I?

And then confusion sets in. To create more dis-chord. Makes us sing, "Should I stay or should I go?" Stupid Clash song... I hate it when I start singing it. It's usually at the wrong time or the right place and I am scared that it will send the wrong signal. And I am doing it trying to sort it all out.

Ok back to loyalty.

There's a lot to say for it. There's a lot of trust in the word loyal a lot of reliance on performing on a level of expectations. It's one thing to be loyal to someone because you'd want it to be given back one day. You know, the Golden Rule?

But it's also a heart word, meaning it takes a big heart to be loyal to one thing and one thing only. And when that loyalty is bruised the heart is broken. And faith, love, trust is all wrapped into something that once broken is hard to mend. Have I cried over loyalty? YUP! Have I gotten so mad, I scream... sure you got it. Have I thrown a TV out the window. No sorry. I don't have enough money to get it all repaired and replaced. Do I realize that not everything is perfect? Duh Yeah... I might be dumb but I am not stupid.

Maybe that's why I question it so.

Hearts don't like to be hurt or stomped on or split in two. I mean one side has to work with the other, in order to work together. It's got to be loyal.

So while loyal seems like an old fashioned idea, it's really truly magical when it happens and when it lasts. That's the ticket...lasting loyalty. And I am talking years not minutes...