I grew up in a broken home. A loving one but a broken one. For a really long time, I thought that this would have affected my relationships and friendships negatively but the older I get the more I realize I have learned so many things that are truly important, not just when it comes to creating bonds with people, but keeping those bonds. Loyalty is the main thing.
I honestly believe there are two types of people: those that are unfaithful and those that are faithful.
This might be so silly to say, but I honestly did not know how common it was for people to be unfaithful until I started paying attention after my parents got divorced. I had no idea that "being unfaithful" was something people did and quite a few at that. I don't know how accurate it is, but I read somewhere that fifty-seven percent of men and fifty-something percent of women admit to being unfaithful in their marriages. I started to observe people more and I learned that people suck. In high school, in college, and to this day I know my good friends that aren't faithful to their partners and I think it's horrible. What I believe is the worst part about it is that they aren't only cheating their faithful partners of a good relationship, but they are training themselves to be dissatisfied in any relationship they are in. Continually looking for new people to date or hook up with because they can't seem to settle down. I do not believe that one person can snap someone out of being terrible. Once it's there, I believe it remains there.
You have to practice loyalty to deserve loyalty. I'm not saying continue to be loyal to your girlfriend/boyfriend that keeps cheating on you (don't cheat but you should prob break up with them) but I am saying that staying loyal in every relationship and friendship will benefit you eventually. I know so many girls my age that are the absolute worst, hands down, and they get mad when their significant other Snapchats another girl but they are going to the bars getting trashed and cheating on them. That sounds like a pretty easy way to stay unhappy, constantly worried, and unsettled in a relationship. I used to say it is so easy to stay faithful because, for me, I've been through hell and back watching what happened to my family to ever make someone feel like that. Unfortunately, other people don't understand the toll it takes and the trust it takes away from people.
This all makes me pretty sad if I'm being honest. It's almost as if as a society our default is to just be terrible and we have to force ourselves to be good. It shouldn't have to be like that.
I got a tremendously important learning lesson out of a really bad situation. The older I get, I'm actually thankful because I know that there is almost always a bright side to every bad thing that happens. Be loyal to your friends and to your partners. Understand that you deserve what you put in and staying faithful will do nothing but benefit you in the end.