Loyalty is everything. I was reminded by it.

Loyalty: A strong feeling of support and allegiance.

Loyalty comes in many forms. From cheering on sports teams through good seasons and bad, to a long-term commitment with a spouse regardless of the ups and downs, or having that “day one” friend; the one you’ve befriended for several years and the one who rallies around you during a time of crisis.

James Martin Eberling represented the latter on my end…and for many others.

I first met this diminutive kid more than 10 years ago at a picnic that involved my mom’s work. He was shooting hoops, raining 3’s but never boasted. He just smiled at enjoying the sun and doing what he loved, then eventually walked toward the table areas and met someone who would go on to become one of his closest friends.

Me.

James and I were avid sports fans. One of the best things we have in common? We hated the Boston Celtics (it’s the Laker fan in us). We weren’t big fans of UCLA either, because we liked to say “Fight On!” on Saturdays. We also weren’t big fans of today’s music, particularly the state of hip-hop right now. For instance, whenever I would ask James his thoughts on a new school rapper like Fetty Wap or ‘Lil Yachty, James would give me this look and ask “WHO THE BLEEP CALLS THEMSELVES FETTY WAP OR ‘LIL YACHTY ‘ZO!” But, when you mention “36 Chambers” from Wu-Tang Clan, that’s when his face lit up and we started reminiscing about that album.

James also was one of the brightest minds when it came to breaking down basketball, his favorite sport. He was so knowledgeable that you swore you were in a room with the NBA on TNT crew.

James and I had a lot in common. A lot. And he lived a very simple life: The kind of life that a 21-year-old, or most young people, would call boring.

He preferred bowling, going to the movies, watching a sporting event at Applebees or at a friend’s house over going to the bar, hitting the club up, or even planning a wild weekend excursion at any vacation hot spot. As another close friend put it: He was a boring friend, but so were we because we also live the simple life.

And we liked him that way.

But there was a reasoning behind James’ simple life mindset: He was unfortunately limited because of a bad heart he dealt with since child birth…the same heart that eventually took his life on the morning of Nov. 19.

His heart prevented him from doing anything strenuous or athletic. He never played high school sports because of it. He had no history of consuming alcohol or puffing a cigarette because of his inadequate heart. He was limited. Whenever he fell ill, you could tell he was deteriorating. You saw it in his face and the way he moved.

But he never let that defined him.

Eventually, he added photographer, videographer and the one title he wanted to have for many years, assistant basketball coach, to his resume.

He was the swordsman who never stopped swinging his sword, and that rose from concrete that kept growing against its surroundings. He inspired his young players, fellow assistant coaches, family members, friends and the man putting this together.

The same loyalty he had for his sports teams, was the same loyalty he had for everyone around him. Even if he lost a bet and had to change his Facebook profile picture to a different team, he was still loyal to who he cheered for…and to everyone he got a chance to befriend.

James epitomized what a true friend in your circle is all about. Someone who supports and cheers on what you do, someone who exhibited positive energy and someone who defied the odds and never, NEVER let his heart hold him back, because his heart he shared with so many people. He inspired us all to live our life the way we wanted to live it: Simple, but exciting.

The moral of the story? Every single one of us likes to say that we have our “circle.” Well, when someone falls from that circle, you’ve got to make damn sure no one replaces that member. Love your circle, regardless if it’s the size of a lake bed or the size of a small front yard water puddle.

I will end this by sharing Romans 8:11, which states: