If you wanted to take a picture of loyalty, what would that look like? Since a picture is worth a thousand words it would be advantageous to convey a quality such as loyalty in one photograph. I think I know what I would use. I would use the picture of Nancy Reagan as she gently rested her cheek on President Reagan’s casket before the start of the week long State funeral. I cannot get that out of my mind. It was so endearing; so genuinely touching. It personified loyalty.

So often I heard the media say that it must be somewhat a relief for her that now the long good bye was finally over. Maybe – but I don’t think so. My impression is that she would have gladly exchanged her new freedom for even one more day or one more hour with her beloved Ronnie. The poignancy of her tender devotion over so many hard years is enhanced because of its rarity in today’s culture.

Even the Bible recognizes and acknowledges this uncommon quality when it says: “An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life” (Proverbs 31:10-12).

Loyalty is faithful dependability, and we need much more of it today. It does still exist though; we had a perfect picture of it as we put President Reagan to rest.