Thoughtful Thursday prompt 22: Loyalty: A key to a healthy relationship
Loyalty has just one definition, and that is "faithfulness or devotion to something or someone", any definition outside of this is a compromise to the truth.
The concept of loyalty has evolved over the years and is gradually taking a different form, where one stays faithful with a condition. If a condition is attached to loyalty, then it's no longer loyalty, but reciprocation of action. For example, Paul cheats if Paulina cheats. So it becomes a contract where one gets a reaction based on their actions.
However, Loyalty has no condition. Loyalty is love beyond what the other person is or can offer. Loyalty is doing what's right because you cherish it. Once the motive is wrong, then the entire equation becomes faulty. Loyalty is practiced in every area of life and for the purpose of this article, I'll talk about loyalty in a relationship.
Loyalty, the bedrock of every relationship
Let's imagine you're unfaithful to your partner, this is likely to be your state at all times; Fear, lies, secrets, and excuses. Yeah, you may look at yourself in the mirror and give yourself the title "smart" but deep within you, deep down where you've silent the low voice that reprimands you, you know you have no peace because of the effort you put in to cover the truth.
Loyalty is easy, but you'll need more energy to stay unfaithful. Loyalty in a relationship is a personal vow to stay faithful to your partner no matter what happens. The official vows are taken on the altars with your hands locked with that of your partner, but that's a subset of the vow you've taken within your heart. The art of loyalty starts with a personal decision and not a public show of commitment.
Loyalty goes hand in hand with effective communication to make a relationship healthy. In a relationship where communication is lacking, one or two of the partners often desire certain qualities they can't sit to discuss, rather they seek for it outside the relationship. Once they get it from another, the chemistry that has once connected them together starts to weaken.
For loyalty to abound, communication needs to have an important space in such a relationship, where the partners involved can talk about anything and everything without feeling ashamed or judged. We are humans, this means, we are not perfect, mistakes are inevitable. However, communication opens a room where we are responsible for every of our actions and loyal to the relationship we share. Loyalty isn't easy, but it's possible, it starts with a decision and is backed by actions.
Your partner should either be the fire or the water that either makes your heart leap or gives you peace when you're troubled. They should be what satisfies you. The path doesn't have to be easy or smooth, but your devotion to stand by them no matter the odds is the key to a healthy relationship. We can't get every quality we desire in a person, but we can help them build it with patience and love.