Woodrow Wilson once said, "Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice.  The word "loyal  is of French origin. It comes from the old French "loial,  which in turn comes from the Latin "legalis.  This original Latin word is actually derived from the root "lex  or "leg,  meaning "law,  and is also the origin of the word "legal.  The very first meaning of the word loyalty had association with law and legality. This explains why loyalty is so often viewed as a binding or obligatory thing. What do you think of when you hear the word loyalty? "Marriage, in sickness and in health, til death do us part,  that's what I hear. Friends and family gather from distant places to watch two people make one of life's most important promises, vows to one another in loyalty. This is how must people view the word loyalty. In reality loyalty is far more complex than this. Loyalty can be both positive and negative; it is something we have to prove to ourselves. Loyalty is supporting and caring for those you care most for, even in the hardest situations. When I was a teenager, I learned the power of loyalty first hand from my best friend Dwayne. Most of my teenage years I was an outgoing person, bubbly, and hardworking, so people gravitated towards me. Then a year later my parents had divorced, and I became extremely depressed. The smiles stopped and the jokes went away. Also, my grades in math and science began to drop. Most of my friends turned away from me because I was no longer fun to be around, but Dwayne stood by me. He listened and stood by my side even when I would shut down from the world. He reassured me that things would get better, even when, who we thought were our friends ignored him too. Dwayne continued to support me, even when I was not at my best. My friendship with Dwayne perfectly exemplifies what loyalty in friendships is about. Loyalty is not always such a positive force. M