This morning I was watching a couple of college football games that were quite spirited and had some pretty large crowds in attendance.  One of the statistics that I found fascinating by one of the announcers was that a particular team from the the mid-west had forty thousand season ticket holders.  That number was simply unfathomable, however, it showed that the community rallied strongly around this team and they were fiercely loyal.  That quality of loyalty was what got me thinking afterwards as to how loyal we are to others as well.  First and foremost I think the overwhelming majority of folks are loyal to their country and rightly so.  Because there have been so many battles fought in order to protect our freedom and rights and I would say that I too am fiercely loyal as a proud American.  People are loyal about many things including the brands that they select for purchases in their homes.  Families can be loyal to brands of cars, household products and even appliances that they associate with quality or safety.  It takes many years to build brand loyalty, that is why so many competitors are out there vying for one's hard earned dollars.  When it comes to personal relationships, I know that many people are very loyal to their friends and family.  I think we could use more of that, as we need to build a stronger sense of community among us.  We need to trust and respect each other in order to continue to build that long lasting sense of devotion. I like the fact that social networking has added additional elements to reinforce our allegiance as well.  We are reminded by family or friends that may not live near us as to how much we value them, even from a distance.  Our bond has never wavered among those that may not be so close and we are offered frequent reminders by connecting to them regularly that we indeed value each other greatly.  I hope that people have many examples of this great quality around them and the next time you consider how much you value your loyal friends, reach out and express your gratitude for their years of enrichment to your life.