“If put to the pinch, an ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness.” ~Elbert Hubbard
When I sat down and began thinking about the theme for this month – LOYALTY – oddly enough, one specific scene from Forrest Gump popped into my mind. For those of you who have never watched this incredibly impactful film, it’s worth taking 2 hours and 22 minutes to watch ASAP.
In this short scene, Forrest Gump is a soldier in the Vietnam war when his unit is attacked. Forrest began running to escape the bombshells and suddenly he realized that he was the only one who made it to safety. Instead of sitting down, resting, processing what took place – Forrest courageously ran back into the woods in hopes of finding his good friend Bubba. Each time he ran into the flames and danger, he found another wounded soldier calling out for help. One by one he carried them to safety. The danger had now become imminent, but Forrest had only one thing on his mind – his friend Bubba. Bubba had always been loyal to Forrest and so he wouldn’t think of leaving him to die regardless of how impossible the situation seemed. He ran back in for the last time and found his good friend had been shot. He picked him up and ran as fast he could to bring him to safety. Although Bubba didn’t make it, Forrest remained loyal to him until the very end. Thinking back on his friend dying, Forrest said, “Bubba was my best good friend and even I know that ain’t something you can find just around the corner.”
Loyalty doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice your life for another. Rather, loyalty is your ability to show up for people, not only when it’s convenient for you, but when it’s needed; in those times where others may turn a blind eye or turn their back. Loyalty doesn’t make excuses but rather stands true and places integrity at the forefront.
Finding someone who is loyal to you as you are to them isn’t a simple task. However, by living loyalty you will draw to yourself others who hold it to be as important of a virtue as you do.
So, when faced with a choice to be loyal to a friend or to turn a blind eye, what will you choose?