It is clear to me that there are two different types of loyalty: loyalty that we owe to others, and loyalty we owe to ourselves. At its best, loyalty in the former sense represents a profound emotional investment into the life of another. It’s a promise to champion their well-being above all else, often even your own. Because of this element of self-sacrifice, a bond forged under loyalty is uniquely strong and characterised by a deep, genuine connection.
Scarcely do all of these ideas coincide more perfectly than in the story of Yasuo Takamatsu. Yasuo tragically lost his wife in the 2011 tsunami in Fukushima, Japan. Since then, driven by a desire to perform the last rites properly, Takamatsu has been on an unwavering quest to find her remains. For the first two and a half years he searched on land, but when it became clear that her body had likely been swept away he learnt how to scuba dive and, at the age of 56 has now endured almost 700 weekly dives. His last words at interview were, “I have no choice but to keep looking.” This is true loyalty, in its purest, most perfect form. And the reason for me that this is such a stellar example of what it means to be loyal is that it highlights, in bold, the two things that make loyalty so distinct from other values.
Firstly, loyalty is only called into action when times get tough. Commitment is never tested without temptation, stars only shine at night, and in the same sense relationships are only put to bear during times of hardship. Like JRR Tolkein said, “Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.”
Secondly, loyalty is not a mood or a feeling, it is an action. Because of this it must be demonstrated, reaffirmed and not just assumed. But the beautiful thing about loyalty is that once you’ve proven it, it’s a two-way street. Loyalty breeds loyalty and you’ll find that people reward your commitment, with theirs.
But above all else, the reason that I like this story so much is that Yasuo Takamatsu’s sacrifice is not just an example of loyalty to others, but even more so of loyalty to himself. Takamatsu married his wife at 25; she was everything to him and so giving up in this quest would be, far more than letting her down, it would be failing himself. Loyalty in the inwards-looking sense, means being true to ourselves, setting high standards and having a level of self-accountability to recognise when we have done wrong and to rectify our actions. All forms of loyalty originate from this loyalty to the self, as suggested by Tor Seidler who says, “You can’t be loyal to others if you’re not loyal to your own nature first.”
In closing, I hope you’ll agree with my conclusion that to be loyal is to uphold your obligation to either yourself or to someone else, especially in a time of need, even when this may come at personal cost.
Charlie Everitt
School Captain