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Emerson Leahy

Pace

12/4/23

Loyalty and Trust

In human society betrayal has been prevalent in every single era of life everyone has or

will experience betrayal in its full form. Whether it's as small as your friend taking the last bag of

Doritos from the vending machine when they knew you wanted them or as large as cheating or

leaning into manipulation tactics to make friends or family do what you want. I want to speak on

loyalty and why I believe it is the foundation of every single relationship and encounter. Your

relationships don't survive without trust. That is one promise I can make to any and everyone.

Loyalty is closely tied to trust. When someone is loyal, it means they can be relied upon

to protect you or your feelings. In my life trust has always been the value I've struggled with in

both friendships and relationships, I never have the strength to trust someone other than myself.

In my young mind this was the result of my parents' divorce or of the mistreatment from my

siblings, as I've gotten older and the anger from my trauma turned into a shield around me. I

thought protecting myself and not letting anyone in would stop the constant strain of betrayal and

lies I felt I was always wrapped up in but it only made things worse. I found myself extremely

isolated, not trusting anyone was truthful or had good intentions, no one knows the real me.

Letting people into my life, introducing them into my thoughts, feelings and tendencies is hard

and feels fake. It feels as if I'm giving away the secrecy of my sanity to others that I have worked

so hard to protect. It is a personal metal block I've been having to force through for my whole

life. Will this person up and leave? How can I leave before they do? Am I the issue? I think
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through this many times a day. I've been recently reminded of this value of loyalty, betrayal has

been extraordinarily prevalent in my life and I was never able to put my finger on the one thing

that was lackluster in my life until at my dads wedding. One of my step moms best friends came

up and talked about loyalty. This experience swayed my mind away from the one cardinal value

I had been living by “ communication is key'(Mcnelty). I've been hearing this term my whole life

and assumed it to be true, but what is communication without a piece of loyalty? How could you

ever sit next to someone and tell them all these actions without execution? Communication has

no leg to stand on without trust, Lying is too easy for communication to be effective. Words are

as good as nothing without the reassurance of trust.

We are constantly surrounded by loyalty, whether it's in our human or animal

interactions. A token of loyalty comes from a dog. No other animal could ever display as much

loyalty and trust in its owner like dogs can. I know that in a world of mayhem dogs will always

stay as a constant in our lives. They are always there for us, no matter what. Whether it's

protecting us, comforting us, or simply being our best friend, dogs show us what true loyalty

looks like. They are always by our side, ready to offer their love and support. It's amazing how

they can sense our emotions and provide comfort when we need it most. Dogs truly embody the

meaning of undivided loyalty. This is displayed in many movies, TV shows and in our personal

lives. “Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turns to fog; but you're never friendless

ever, if you have a dog." (Mallcoh) Dogs show us what it's like to trust someone completely, and

that kind of loyalty is like a secret weapon in navigating the ups and downs of our lively

rollercoaster. Dogs teach us that real connections are built on trust and sticking by each other.

Dogs teach us the importance of trust. They show us that trust is the foundation of any real

relationship, and that having someone you can trust, no matter what, is invaluable.
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In conclusion, the intricate dance between trust and loyalty is a testament to the

connections that bind individuals, communities and animals. Together, they form an unbreakable

bonds that withstands the trials of time and adversity. In a world where trust is the currency of

genuine connections, and loyalty is the backbone of enduring long term relationships, fostering

and cherishing these values becomes essential. As we navigate the complexities of human

interactions, let us recognize the power of trust and loyalty, understanding that with it can build

bridges, mend wounds, and create a tapestry of connections that enrich our lives. Without

loyalty, relationships are as good as nothing.

Works Cited

Mallcoh. “https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/dogs-loyalty.” Investopedia,

Investopedia,

Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.

Mcnelty , James. “ Coomuication ” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Dec. 2023,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.