Loyalty

The seventh Virtue is Loyalty and it describes my father.

He didn't grow tall or heavily muscled. He's a rather slight man and his brain much out-powers his body. Other qualities negate his slender stature: resilience, perseverance, respectability. A sureness of step, strength of gesture, depth of voice, quickness of thinking. In a non-physical sense, he is a large presence.

My father's openness would make him be well known by many, yet only few understand his soul. There is nothing fake about him. He does not pretend. He is always and entirely himself. Inside him, though, there are so many indescribable nuances it takes a lifetime to discover them.

He reads. His appetite for books, newspapers and scientific articles is almost unquenchable. He watches both world and local news. He surfs the internet. And he retains all relevant information, while I - sadly - forget.

He adores beauty. In nature, in people, in art, in music. He plays his piano with passion and skill.

He has traveled widely, conducted business in several countries, climbed mountains and skied the best slopes. He traveled on foot, by bicycle, by car, by train, by bus, by street car, by plane, by ship and by hot air balloon.

He is a gracious host and gourmet cook. And at almost eighty-six years old, he still mows his own yard.

Under all that amazingness beats a fiercely loyal heart. My father stands by his loved ones no matter the struggle, no matter the heart break, no matter the pain. When I, at age sixteen, dropped out of school and entered the workforce as a laborer, he found a way to be proud of me, never showing disappointment. When I later returned to school and college, he supported me. When my son was born with so many disabilities, he embraced him without question, overcoming his own childhood conditioning and fear. When my mother became ill and limited in her abilities, he stepped up and ran the household, caring for her ever so tenderly.

He traced down family roots and printed booklets for cousins, nieces, and nephews. He painstakingly typed his father's handwritten memoirs to be distributed among his kin. He holds dear family traditions, celebrations, history. He is the heart and soul of his clan. It is he who connects their past, present, and future.

My father is many things, and one of his greatest qualities is loyalty. I know I can depend on him always. He will not fail me.

A Samurai's greatest strength is loyalty. I strive to be one hundred percent reliable for my loved ones. I strive to be as good as my father. Alas! I have a long way to go...