It’s May the 4^th, commonly known as “Star Wars Day.” Looking back over the last 37 years since the release of Star Wars (Episode IV), I’ve come to realize just how much the movie taught me. How to overcome odds while still keeping a sense of humor, the importance of friends who share the same vision, not backing down against tyranny, i.e. bullies, recognizing that learning takes time and that wisdom comes from those that are often much older. These lessons are recognized by 7-year-olds as well as 77-year olds. They are adapted to fit each individual reality. On top of the obvious lessons and ancient mythology, the film is just pure fun. Androids, explosions, spaceships, laser gun fights, subtle sly humor and a freaking Wookie!

When you come out as a fan of Star Wars you get one of two responses….complete agreement and excitement or bewilderment and scorn. This is especially true as a 2^nd grader in a small town. I quickly realized how quickly you learn who your true friends are and how quickly you see how mean and hateful people can be towards somebody that thinks differently. To this day, this trend continues. When you are proud of what you believe in and what interests you and in turn you become vocal about these things, you quickly see those people that embrace you and those that show their ugly side based on nothing more than being around someone they perceive as odd or outside of the norm.   Learning how to deal with these people is a great lesson and one that I’m very grateful for having learned at a young age. Those that accept you for your interests and passions are your true friends. Those that laugh, criticize, and simply don’t understand, are best left to their own sad and boring realities.

No matter how people see you as a Star Wars fan, the franchise is just pure joy. It is a separation from reality that intrigues and makes a person think. It represents the acceptance of other cultures and races (alien, human, and robot) and it shows worlds beyond our own that offer the same mysteries and challenges of our present day tiny blue dot. Earth.