Community: The Sidekick

Ramon Hampton   -  

Batman is my favorite superhero. He’s rich, has influence, a businessman, he’s rich, has the 2nd coolest butler (Geoffrey from Fresh Prince owns the top spot), he’s rich, he doesn’t have any superpowers and did I mention he’s rich? I mean, he’s the man! But he doesn’t defend Gotham alone, he has his trusty accomplice Robin. A young man in the circus who’s parents where trapeze artist. Athletic and ambitious, batman finds a great teammate to battle the bad guys! There are times when watching the adventures of Batman and Robin when Batman was trapped by his latest foe, tied down to the railroad tracks with a speeding locomotive fast approaching and no hope in sight! To our surprise and just in the nick of time, Robin swoops in to cut him loose! Batman’s alive, the day was saved, all is right in the world.

We have all felt at times as if we were tied down to the proverbial tracks in our lives, maybe by ropes named career, finance, family or relationship. With the reality of the issue front and center, and looking for reinforcements, some of us go to the nearest self help book, latest podcast from our favorite motivational speaker or just hold on for dear life hoping the train will derail! More often than not, challenges have a way of isolating us. Keeping us from others. Keeping us from asking for help, asking for time, forfeiting the substantiation that the compassion and companionship of another brings.

We tend to forget we are tribal by nature. The desire for relationship, platonic and romantic are God given. Relationships are there to aid us, grow us, protect and reveal

us, to us and to the ones that care about our well being. Doing life with others helps us stay connected and grounded. Relationship is there to assist in the prevention of tragedies and triumphs from being that which we define our identity or value by. At times a friend is our reminder of who and what God, the one would wired and loves us best has said about us. At other times our accountability when we would rather walk around the hurt, trash or pain in our life. A friend’s presence can be our graceful push when we would rather pitch our tent in sorrows, failures or self-deprecating behaviors. There to cry with us. To laugh with us. To do life with us.

You may be wondering where to find a human like that. I believe the best place to start is to be the friend you seek to find. I know, it’s much easier to send a text of condolences, to give a congratulatory like or comment on facebook or compose a pithy 140 character twitter encouragement to “Never give up #DontQuit”. The truth is walking with each other makes us vulnerable. It makes us accountable. Sometimes messy and more than likely will carry times of inconvenience. You don’t become or purchase this type of friend overnight. That’s actually the beauty of it all, you grow it. You water it with time and care. Conflicts and resolutions. Vulnerability and honesty. Out of that, trust is birthed and a bond is forged. I believe the best way to find a sidekick is to be one.