Monday, March 22, 2010

Becoming a Jedi!


There is an obsession with Star Wars at my house right now.
Toots has entered the Star Wars age and his brothers have reverted along with him to their former obsession.

Toots seems to believe that Star Wars actually exists in some other realm that he can someday visit. 

He says things like-
When I go to the place where the Jedi live, I can use my real light saber and I will only join the dark side for a little bit so I can get stronger powers and then I will come back to the Jedi side.

To which I reply-
NO son! You can never join the dark side. You see, the Chancellor is a liar and he lies to Anakin. Anakin never gets more power from the dark side. He only loses Padme and his best friend Obi Wan. 
Don't you see, when he joins the dark side, he loses everyone he loves!

Toots- 

But mom, they won't let him be a master. They should have let him be a master.

Me-

He was too young for that kind of power. 

I lose him here. He is only five. He loves Anakin and then Anakin becomes the bad guy. Anakin becomes Darth Vader.

He is not like me. He did not grow up fearing the loud- breathing, dark- suited figure of evil that was Darth Vader. Rather, he got to know him as a boy and and young Jedi before he turned into that dark figure that frightened me in my childhood.

He loves Anakin and tries to justify why he turns to the dark side. 

Do you remember why he turns? Or maybe you don't have a boy dominated house like mine and so you perhaps have never seen the films. 
Well, it is actually quite fascinating. 

It is fear. 
Fear of loss.
Fear of losing his wife Padme in childbirth. He has a vision that he will lose her and believes it.
He thinks that if he turns to the dark side, he will have more power and will be able to save her from death. 

So his love causes fear which motivates his lust for power which leads him down a path to darkness.

When he is wrestling with the vision he had of Padme dying, Yoda tells him-

The fear of loss is a path to the dark side.

and

Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.

That last one is a doozie!

How do you do that? 
How do you "let go?"
Or do you?

May the force be with you, young Jedi's!



6 comments:

Brigetta's Mom said...

Oh my gosh honey you lost me there...with only you to girls, I'm better at all the girlie stuff & sports! I've had enough of the dark side of life the last 2 years and didn't want to go there:(I enjoyed your story anyway. lol. Does Toots have a new hair do to go with that sword:-)

Foursons said...

Star Wars is alive and well in my home too. I absolutely love that picture. He IS Star Wars.

Farmgirl Paints said...

Yep you lost me too. I have my two Barbie playing girls...who probably don't even know what Star Wars are;) May the force be with YOU!!!

scrapwordsmom said...

I am a Star Wars fan so was just perfect for me today!! Isn't Yoda and inspiration?

I sure do miss my guy Jacks pretending to be a Jedi. {he is 15 now}.

Always enjoy your blog!

campbell6 said...

Wow. Perfect timing. Know very little about Star Wars but have 3 kiddos coming to stay for a week and the 9 year old, a GIRL, is obsessed with the series. She's bringing it and my 4 are going to see Star Wars for the first time. Anything I should know? Should I start with the three old ones or begin with the new ones and introduce them chronologically?!? I don't want them to misunderstand the dark side by not seeing Darth Vader as evil from the beginning. Of course, my kids know Darth from Night at the Museum 2. Hmmm. You've raised lots of questions. I really think we need to set up a projection system and watch it on the wall or outside. Totally cool. Indeed, may the force be with us.

Mominin said...

We have lots of Star Wars at our house, too! My second son thought he had the force for the longest time . . . he's finally outgrown that! Great post.