Ruth stayed when leaving made more sense. Loyalty is rare enough to be a kind of worship.

Loyalty is only visible when leaving is the sensible option. Staying when it costs you something and nobody would blame you for going is a decision made without any of the usual supports: no advantage, no audience, sometimes no thanks. That kind of steadiness has become rare enough to look remarkable.

Think of one person whose situation has become inconvenient to stay close to. Do the loyal small thing this week: the visit, the message, the ride, the showing up. You are not obliged to stay in anything that harms you, but where you have chosen someone, let the choosing show when it is not easy.