Honor, Loyalty and Starvation

I have a good friend who is about as unlike me as it is possible to get and still stay within the species. Our politics are polar opposites --- to the point where I prefer not to discuss issues at all, though he would happily argue until the cows come home. Speaking of cows, he is an unabashed carnivore who dislikes plant food and I am a fishy-vegetarian. If we ever got locked in each other’s kitchens, we would starve.

For all our differences, he is a good friend. I find the “why” interesting enough that I’m telling you all this.

My friend values honor and loyalty, as do I. Now, I know a lot of people who are both honorable and loyal. I am fortunate in that. But I don’t know many who think about these traits as independent qualities, or who would value them particularly if they did.

My grandmother used to say that she’d rather spend time with someone she respected who disagreed with her than someone she didn’t respect. When I was young, and she was still alive, I didn’t really understand what she meant. Maybe I should get a Ouija board, just so she can say “I told you so.”