A few Star Wars thoughts… I have loved Star Wars for nearly 5 decades, and I have lived through and experienced the various seasons of it—3 trilogies, online subscriptions, video games, animated series, books, TV series, and Twitter/X (along with the other socials). Through it all, I tend to maintain a childlike view and am filled with Christmas morning excitement anytime there is a new Star Wars of any kind. This isn’t to say I don’t—or can’t—find flaws with or have disappointments with the way a story was told, with decisions that were made, music or dialogue choices, or characters that were under or over used. I think I just choose (subconsciously at times) to magnify the joy that comes from Star Wars in its entirety over the smaller in comparison issues with specific parts—or eras—of Star Wars storytelling. Because of my involvement in the online Star Wars community, I can’t completely go into a new Star War—in this case, The Mandalorian and Grogu, without having some of those voices of contention in the back of my mind. Trying my best to shut off the noise, I immerse myself in the galaxy I love and try to just take in the current story, not as a movie critic, but as a child on Christmas morning who doesn’t have a wish list, but who is just thankful for any gifts that may have my name on them. If I don’t have a gift under the Star Wars tree this year, I guarantee you someone else does, and I can be happy for their excitement because I have experienced that same feeling many times. In fact, I can put on any of my absolute favorite Star Wars “gifts” any time I’d like and enjoy them again as if it is 1984. All of this to say, I hate when people don’t feel like they got “their Star Wars,” but I also recognize there is someone for whom this IS theirs. I truly hope everyone gets new Star Wars that has their name on it, but if that doesn’t happen, we already have our own special pieces of the galaxy far, far away, or I wouldn’t even have these thoughts about it all. Maybe my thoughts aren’t as deep as those for whom Star Wars has lost its way, but maybe Star Wars wasn’t intended to be thought of quite as deeply for its maximum deliverance of enjoyment. We all love Star Wars or we wouldn’t be here, so let’s recognize we are all family (whether you have a good or bad feeling about this) and at least be able to gather around the dinner table once or twice a year and just celebrate the Force that connects us all. This is the Way. #StarWars #swtwt #TheMandalorian #TheMandalorianAndGrogu

Thank the Maker for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and my childhood (which is still going)! Happy birthday, George Lucas! 🎉