Kia Garriques

It does not matter what age we are or where we come from; every day we are facing new challenges and battles, experiencing dizzying highs and crushing lows. We complain, we wallow, and we delight and celebrate. Sometimes, we can go right through the full spectrum of human emotion in a matter of hours!  But we learn to accept this, and cope and adjust accordingly, because this is all part of life and the human experience.

Despite how advanced and practised we are in these ritualistic coping mechanisms however, let’s admit it; human beings are just far too complex to deal with life alone. We all need someone to turn to at times, who will provide that support system we so desperately need when life and emotions get the better of us, and our own start to fail.

On this note – thank heaven for family and true friends. Where would we be without them?

They are the people who are always there, regardless of the choices you make and the consequences you are endured to live through. When hope seems lost, they shine a light to help you find it. When hurt or failure appears to have got the better of you, they fill you with warmth and belief in a simple embrace. When you are at your lowest, a loyal friend can pull you from the depths and help you find the sunshine again.

I stress the word ‘loyal’ because a loyal friend can, sadly, be hard to come by in this life. We all have tales of those fair-weather-friends, you know, the type who will be right there beside you as the good times roll, and then disappear when times get tough. Their changing faces can leave you confused, while your misplaced belief of their unfaltering love and support can devastate.

 

It is only when you have experienced a friendship like this that you truly appreciate loyalty and how it enriches lives.

Loyalty, to me, is one of the most important, inspiring and heart-warming qualities in a person. It is the steadfast loyalty and unconditional love of my family and my closest friends which sees me through the rough patches, and which I continue to find solace and inspiration from at every stage of my life.

After a particularly frustrating day at work, after a draining argument or a painful heartbreak, I know there is never a need to despair because while all of these trifling things are temporary little bumps along the road, the loyalty of those closest to me in life is unconditional and never-ending. It will see me through any drama or dilemma, safe in the knowledge that I am never alone.

From the loyalty of family and friends, who have constantly supported me in my dream to publish my first book, ‘Innovera Yakov – The Journey of a Thousand Eyes’, to the loyalty and dedication of my amazing fans – I am as determined as ever to succeed and achieve my dreams.