Breathe.Gratitude.Love.

It recently occurred to me that the sidekick role is just as vital as the superhero role in saving the proverbial day. The sidekick role is not one to be outgrown. It is a consistent mirroring of a different version of ourselves, aimed to help us evolve and express our fullest potential. We play the role of superhero to some people in our lives and sidekick to others.

But what happens when we expand beyond the frame of the person who is meant to be our mirror? Maybe we spend some time in denial, pretending that we can still see our full reflection without bending down or turning sideways to fit into their entire picture. Perhaps we find ourselves laughing at jokes that are no longer funny to us, or indulging in dated behaviors just to fit into the limitations of the old mirror, because it is comfortable there.

But there comes a time when we realize that we are facing a mirror that has shown us all that it can. Whether we are the sidekick who needs a bigger superhero who recognizes our full potential, or the superhero who realizes that our sidekick has stopped evolving, this awareness becomes an invaluable moment of truth.

The truth has a reputation for sometimes hurting, but ultimately it sets us free. The person with whom we are in a reflective relationship can feel the growing apart and is probably waiting from some relief from the tension too!  There’s usually no need for a big “come to Jesus” discussion; a gentle and compassionate drifting is likely all that is needed.

The beauty of the Universe is it will sometimes set us on different paths from our previous reflections, only to reunited us on healthier terms a little further down the line. Even if this is not the case, alignment with the truth is the ultimate path to growth.

Moving on to more expanded versions of ourselves can be invigorating. It shows us something new and exciting about ourselves. Just remember that whomever we are removing from focus on this leg of the journey is also moving on to an expanded version of themselves. Though there may be some discomfort in the beginning, the outcome is the potential discovery of a world that neither the superhero nor the sidekick knew existed. When we can move on with clarity and compassion, we are all then operating as our own superhero.

And so it is.