Integrity vs Loyalty. Cheering. You. On.

Good luck in Earth school today.  Over the weekend,  I was listening to an audiobook and the word, Loyalty, kept coming up as the trait to praise/ aspire to.  But I kept wanting to switch it to, Integrity. ‘twas a work of fiction straddling two worlds: a present-day city in America and a fantasy world with dragons, magic, elves, and circumstances resulting in the need for a leader in the latter, to fight for and protect the land from the forces of evil. Every time loyalty was brought up, all I could see was the expectation that one should feel beholden: to something, someone, or an idea outside of them, and the potential dangers of such an expectation from oneself or others.  At a point in the story, character A says to character B that the reason B couldn’t believe C would turn against their land and people was due to B's loyalty to the land and people.  But I argued (out loud) that it was because, first and foremost, B has Integrity.  First, he considers and then he acts in alignment with his own ethical code, weighing matters and making decisions based on those beliefs. At the end of the day, I know the author wrote, loyalty. But I can’t help but feel that integrity is more important.  Had to get it off my chest 🙃 All the best with your inner and outer travels.  Cheering. You. On.