Return of "Return of the Jedi"

Nearly 40 years ago, early in the morning of May 25, 1983, my dad got then-seven-year-old me and my nine-year-old older brother out of school for the day—that act alone making him a hero to me forever—to line up on the streets of downtown Salt Lake City, at a theater that is no longer there, to be part of the first audience to see Return of the Jedi in Utah. And we made it in! (Back in my day, we didn't have the Internet and couldn't just buy the tickets online in advance.)

I remember being fascinated by every detail of that film: terrified by the creatures in Jabba's palace, almost covering my seven-year-old eyes at Princess Leia in her cast-iron bikini, my mind being blown by the Emperor's cruelty and by Luke's and Vader's final duel and Vader's redemption, and practically dancing in the aisles along with Han Solo and the Ewoks during the final celebration.

The next day at school, my classmates became somewhat jealous when they found out where I had really been.

Star Wars was a big part of my childhood and has remained a big part ever since then.

Everything old was new again this past Friday night when Return of the Jedi was re-released into theaters for a week for its 40th anniversary. (If you did the math, then yes, that means is that Paco is now old.) JB and I went to see it at the Megaplex along with my brother Ben and his two sons—ages 9 and 7. We had a blast reliving fun memories.

JB dressed up for the occasion:

The Force is strong in my family. My father has it, I have it, my brothers and sister have it, and now the next generation does, too.

Incidentally, Utah's last major flooding from winter snowpack also occurred 40 years ago this spring; we've seen an even-larger snowpack this past winter, leading to current flooding in various locations along the Wasatch Front. But that is a post for another day. (Stay safe out there, folks.)

Happy Star Wars Day, fellow nerds and nerdettes.

 

Only a Passing Thing, This Shadow

"Frodo: I don't suppose we'll ever see them again.
Sam: We may yet, Mr. Frodo. We may."
 -The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

I sure do love my Star Wars franchise. It's by far my favorite movie series. I've seen Episode VII, The Force Awakens, nine times now over the past two months since its release on December 18. Yes, I'm a special kind of nerd. In my eyes, it's a wonderful sequel and a cinematic triumph.

To those who know me, none of this is surprising news in the least.

Followed very closely behind my love for the Star Wars movies is that of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, adapted from the novels by J.R.R. Tolkien. The Hobbit prequel trilogy of 2012-2014 was good but not great. However, the LOTR movies are masterpieces, and they improve for me upon each subsequent viewing, extended edition or not.

My favorite character in the films, hands down, is Samwise Gamgee, played by Sean Astin also of Goonies and Rudy fame. Samwise the Brave is exactly the kind of best friend everyone wants, and his qualities are manifest in many of those I'm lucky to have in my life.

I'm not ashamed to admit that his speech to Frodo at the end of The Two Towers tugs at my heartstrings every time. Over the past week, I've thought more than once upon his words:


"Frodo: I can't do this, Sam.
Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something."
Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo . . . and it's worth fighting for."

This is deep on so many levels, and I honestly don't remember how much of it was written by Tolkien in the books and how much was penned by the screenwriters. As someone who suffers from depression and anxiety, I find lessons in these words that I need to be reminded of when times get dark and things may look hopeless, as they often did to Frodo with the burden he carried.

When I, like Frodo, feel like "I can't do this," I need Sam's voice in my head reminding me that this challenge is "only a passing thing, this shadow." That whether or not I want the difficulty I face, I face it nonetheless ("we shouldn't even be here, but we are"), and I do not do so alone. That the sun "will shine out the clearer" on a better day. That "even darkness must pass."

Whoever wrote the words, they are beautifully put. Thank heavens for the brave Sams who help me along my journey.

"Your Focus Determines Your Reality"

Say what you what you will about the Star Wars prequels (aka Episodes I, II, and III), because it's probably already been said—Jar Jar Binks jokes and all of that. One of the few good things about them, hopefully one that most Star Wars nerds can agree on, however, was Liam Neeson's role as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace.

In one of the few poignant moments of Episode I, Qui-Gon counsels young Anakin Skywalker by giving him this sage advice: "Your focus determines your reality."

Isn't it interesting how this statement applies in our own lives? The question that follows, in my mind, then, is: What is your focus on?

Yes, I ended that last sentence with a preposition; but that's not the point.

What are you focused on? And further: Is it possible to focus on things that are inconsequential, unnecessary, or even false and to then, therefore, make them your "reality"?

The answer is: "Yes."

*Sound of me stepping up onto my soapbox

Take the situation, for example, that has enfolded over the past several months in the town of Ferguson, Missouri. I don't want to go too much into detail because, well, it's a situation that has captured the entire nation's attention. We've all heard different versions of the story. At the same time, there are some very strong feelings about what happened and who was or wasn't charged for murder in the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

I recently watched a group of pundits discuss this issue and heard them analyze the claim by some that Brown made a "Hands up, don't shoot!" gesture before being fatally shot. Members of the St. Louis Rams football team made this gesture on the football field in an NFL game. It has been referenced in a number of other situations, as well. Sadly, there seems to be a ridiculous idea being promoted by some that police officers are bigoted, vile racists, randomly gunning down minorities because they carry guns and because they can get away with it.

Well, here's the problem with the "Hands up, don't shoot!" claim: It's patently, totally false.

The evidence presented to prosecutors and to the grand jury overwhelmingly showed that there were powder burns on Brown's arms and injuries to the police officer, proving that Brown was reaching for the police officer's gun when it went off and that he (Brown) was the aggressor. The officer clearly acted in self-defense. Multiple witnesses support this story, which was dishonestly and purposefully distorted by the some of the media and others with evils and designs in their hearts.

No matter how you look at it, it's tragic. An 18-year-old young man, with his entire life ahead of him, lost his life. Even so, a bigger tragedy would have been unfairly convicting a police officer who was simply doing his job and was acting in self-defense. Brown’s poor choices, including using drugs, robbing a convenience store, and attacking a police officer, led to his death.

I don't want to dwell on it any more than has already been done, because I'm honestly tired of the issue being dragged out on the news each night. Suffice me to say, once again, that "your focus determines your reality." In other words, what you choose to believe—whether or not it's based in reality or on the facts or even common sense—then becomes your reality.

*Sound of me getting back down from my soapbox*

One of the most important scriptures for our time, I believe, is found in the New Testament:

"For in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant."
 -Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:22

Focus on the truth. Determine your reality by building your reality around the truth. Believe whatever you wish to believe, but don't be deceived by false prophets and by lies, because they come in many forms: the media, politicians, rationalization, relativism, political correctness, apathy, and gossip.

The truth will set you free.